Daniel Mulino (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to raise a matter of privilege.

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

You may continue.

Daniel Mulino (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to raise a matter of privilege concerning the House Standing Committee of Economics, of which I am the chair. Two articles published in the Australian Financial Review on 24 and 26 May contain information from a private briefing that the committee had received from the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Mr Philip Lowe, on 24 May. Both articles were clearly the result of the unauthorised disclosure of information from this private briefing. I present to the House copies of these articles by Mr Phil Coorey of the Australian Financial Review.

This breach of confidence is a matter of grave concern to me as chair of the committee. Committee members will be aware that, under the standing orders and the Parliamentary Privileges Act, the unauthorised disclosure of committee documents and any proceedings is prohibited. Such unauthorised disclosure may amount to contempt of the House where the disclosure causes, or is likely to cause, substantial interference with the work of the House or the committee system. In accordance with the established practice, the committee will investigate this apparent breach in the first instance, and I will report back to the House.

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

I thank the member for informing the House on behalf of the committee, and I look forward to the House being informed about anything further relating to this matter.