George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I present the 137th report of the Senate Standing Committee of Privileges entitled Persons referred to in the Senate: Mr Anthony and Mrs Brenda Bird, members of the Exclusive Brethren.

Ordered that the report be printed.

by leave—I move:

That the report be adopted.

This report is the 54th report of the Committee of Privileges recommending a right of reply under privilege resolution 5. On 16 September 2008 the President received a submission from several members of the Exclusive Brethren relating to remarks made in the Senate on 26, 27 and 28 August by Senator Bob Brown and Senator Christine Milne. The bulk of this matter was dealt with in the committee’s 135th report, which was adopted by the Senate on 24 September 2008.

This report deals with the residue of that matter and recommends that a response by Mr A and Mrs B Bird, which has been the subject of correspondence between the Birds and the committee, be incorporated in Hansard. While the committee is satisfied that a right of reply should be accorded in this case, it has noted in the report that in respect of persons who are not identified by name it has probably taken the application of resolution 5 about as far as it was designed to go. I commend the report to the Senate.