Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, are you able to advise honourable members as to the cause of the closure of the Main Committee? What was the problem? Is it likely that there would be a repetition of the same problem?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Chief Government Whip for his question. I inform the House that yesterday there was a failure in the computer system supporting the microphones in the Main Committee. This in turn meant that there was no audio recording available for transcription of the Hansard. When advised there was a problem, the chair initially suspended the committee to allow time to diagnose and fix the problem. When the problem could not be resolved, however, the Main Committee was adjourned.

I am advised that the consequence was that a Hansard record could not be prepared of the constituency speeches made by four members: the members for Fremantle, Maranoa, Perth—that is, the Minister for Foreign Affairs—and Cowan. In addition, the private members’ business and grievance debate scheduled for yesterday could not be commenced. As an aside, I ask the whips to consider sympathetically the scope for rescheduling the private members’ business items.

I can advise the House that DPS technical staff worked overnight to rectify the problem and that it has been resolved successfully. Importantly, I am also advised that this problem would not occur in relation to the chamber as there is a backup system in place. This is not the case for the Main Committee as the contingency plan for ICT support provided for relocation into another committee room. Despite the intense pressure on our ICT funding, a backup system will be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, could I just ask you a further question on that matter, as I was one of the members who was speaking in the Main Committee. Even though it is known that my view of the Main Committee is that it should not exist, the House established it and what occurs in the Main Committee is of course part of the proceedings of the House. It is not sufficient, in my view, for the response to be that the whips potentially make available extra speaking slots for those members whose contributions to the House have been lost. It seems to me that further effort should be made to restore those contributions. They form part of the record and the proceedings of the House. I think more is required than to simply say that (a) there is no backup system and (b) the whips should make efforts. The House should give those members who made contributions the opportunity to present those contributions to the Main Committee or the House in written form to enable some record to be resuscitated.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, for clarification, I was not suggesting that the whips solve the problems of the four members whose contributions were not recorded. I am happy to take on board those comments that relate to restoring the record of those four contributions. I am happy to investigate that with both DPS and the House of Representatives to see what can be achieved.

I am not necessarily having a go at the member for Perth, but I asked a number of questions about whether it was really the member for Perth who was in the Main Committee. I am pleased that he is getting around to understanding the benefit and has now so successfully fought for the contributions made there.

I should explain that there was a misunderstanding when the problem arose. It was not fully understood that it was actually a matter of not just the broadcast not going out but also the recording not being made. Everybody involved indicates that they understand that this is a problem for the four constituency statements. There are established precedents that I am happy to refer to in this case. I am not usually happy to have matters tabled or given in electronic form, but if it would satisfy the four members concerned and the House I will explore that and get back to the House.

Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I was in the chair in the Main Committee when the problem arose. I want to speak in support of what the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the member for Perth, has just said. I was made aware that there was a technical problem. We all were hearing noises. I was not aware that the speeches were not being recorded. I was aware that there was a problem with the broadcast. When I became aware that nothing was being recorded I moved to suspend until 7.15 pm.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am satisfied that everything was handled appropriately and properly. The problem is that, in an age where we are so reliant on technology, the technology has failed us. The matters raised by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on his behalf and also on behalf of his three colleagues need to be looked at further to see what we can recover.