Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have another matter, and that is in relation to the matter of privilege that was raised by the Manager of Opposition Business on Tuesday. The Manager of Opposition Business raised as a matter of privilege whether the member for Pearce had failed to comply with the resolution of the House regarding the registration of members' interests such as would constitute a contempt of the House.

Having previously raised this matter on 18 October, the Manager of Opposition Business stated that new information had come to light, by way of an interview on Tuesday morning given by the member for Casey, the former Speaker, which might cause the House to reconsider the matter being referred to the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests.

I have carefully considered the statement made by the Manager of Opposition Business, and I have carefully reviewed the documents which he provided.

The interview with the member for Casey he referred to, in my view, does not reveal new information relating to the substance of the matter of privilege raised.

Accordingly, as the House has recently decided not to refer the matter to the committee, and in the absence of new information of substance to the matter, nothing has been raised with me that would cause me to support priority being given over other business to a motion for referral of the same matter to the committee.