Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek to raise a matter of privilege. Earlier this year I raised with you the matter of the member for Cook's failure to inform the parliament of his appointment to a number of ministries without informing the parliament. On that occasion you did not find that a prima facie had made out in accordance with the Practice of the House. Since then a full inquiry has been undertaken by Justice Virginia Bell AC. That inquiry found, amongst other matters, that the actions and failures of the member for Cook fundamentally undermined the principles of responsible of government, were apt to undermine the public confidence in government and were corrosive of trust in government. These findings were endorsed by the House yesterday by way of censure resolution.

Yesterday the member for Cook made a statement to the House. During that statement the member welcomed and supported the recommendations of the Bell inquiry. The member for Cook also referenced the ministry list he tabled in parliament, making the statement that the ministry list tabled in parliament referenced, as it does, that the ministers may be sworn to administer additional departments. The member also said:

I now consider that these decisions, in hindsight, were unnecessary and that insufficient consideration was given to these decisions at the time, including nondisclosure.

The relevant ministry lists did not note that the member had been appointed to additional portfolios.

Mr Speaker, I ask that you consider whether the report of the Bell inquiry, endorsed yesterday, and yesterday's statement from the member for Cook, raise any matters under standing order 52, including whether the purported reliance on the ministry list as sufficient disclosure to the House—which the member also appears to admit was a nondisclosure—constitutes a deliberate misleading of the House. I ask you to grant precedence for a motion to be moved referring this matter to the Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Melbourne, and I will consider his statement in the usual way. It's important that I consider this material carefully and thoroughly for the benefit of all members. Standing order 51 provides the mechanism for the Speaker to consider a privilege matter raised when the House is sitting. I reserve the matter for further consideration and, once considered, I'll report back.