Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—As Deputy Chair of the Privileges Committee, I really just wanted to say what you have already just said—that is, I do thank Senator Collins for the assiduous work she put into this particular issue, as she does with most things dealing with the Privileges Committee, which she chairs. Thank you, Mr President, for your report. I might just say what is obvious to any of those of us who have been around this place for a long time. Most of us who have been here for a while have a fair idea of where leaks to the media of information from the committee are coming from. There is sort of a rule of thumb that you can work out whom those leaks might benefit, so senators who do indulge in that disclosure of committee reports are well-known to their Senate colleagues. That, in itself, should be a reason why this practice does not continue. As you have done, Mr President, I want to acknowledge the chair's work on the Privileges Committee.