Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Chair of the Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests, I present the report from the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests concerning an application from Mr Mercurius Goldstein for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives, November 2016.

Report—by leave—agreed to.

The report read as follows—

Response by Mr Mercurius Goldstein to remarks made by the Deputy Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, made a reference to me, in the House on 18 April 2016, which adversely affected my reputation.

I did not so vote as the Member for New England inferred in his reference to me by name in the House. As I was not a member of the Livestock and Bulk Carriers' Association, but was their guest at a meeting of their members, I did not assume to myself any voting rights at the meeting. Any such vote or abstention by me would be moot as I was not a member with voting rights at the meeting in question.

As the vote of members was taken, I was seated on an elevated stage before an audience of some 100 or so persons gathered, most if not all of whom would have been able to see that I did not raise my hand at any time during the vote, neither for nor against the motion.