Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion, which has been circulated in the chamber, to refer this matter to the Committee of Privileges.

Leave granted.

I move:

That—

(1) The Senate notes:

(a) the matters canvassed in the media regarding a possible conflict of interest between an undeclared personal relationship of Senator Thorpe and her role while a member of the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement; and

(b) the importance of maintaining the integrity of parliamentary committees.

(2) The following matter be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges for inquiry and report, whether Senator Thorpe's failure to declare the relationship:

(a) obstructed the work of the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement;

(b) if so, whether this amounted to an improper interference with the work of the committee; and

(c) whether any contempt was committed in this regard.

I thank the President for her ruling and would like to acknowledge Senator Thorpe's intention to refer herself to the Senate Privileges Committee. The government considers it appropriate to refer this matter to the Privileges Committee to inquire into the conduct of Senator Thorpe, given the importance of ensuring that the integrity of parliamentary committees is maintained.

On Thursday 20 October, it was reported that Senator Thorpe may have been conflicted while sitting as a member of the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement. The nature of this conflict has been outlined in media reports and has been addressed in statements by both Senator Thorpe and Mr Bandt, as the Leader of the Greens. The publicly known facts of this matter have brought into question the potentially serious implications of Senator Thorpe's conflict, including the possibility that the work of the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement has been obstructed. This is particularly due to the sensitive nature of what the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement looks at and the agencies it oversees, such as the AFP. Both play such an important role in keeping Australians safe.

As the Prime Minister has said, these are concerning revelations and Australians are entitled to believe that the parliament's oversight processes over our legal system will be maintained in a way that ensures integrity and ensures that any information which is given there is kept on a confidential basis. The Prime Minister has also said that the Leader of the Greens, Mr Bandt, must give a full explanation of the exact circumstances here, including what he or his office knew and, if he wasn't informed, why that was the case, given that his office was aware.

It is important for the function of our democracy that Australians trust the integrity of this parliament and our parliamentary committees. It is also important for Australians to have the trust that members of this parliament will act with integrity. Where that integrity has been brought into question, it is contingent on all of us to ensure that matters are referred to the appropriate bodies for inquiry, as is the case with this matter. Thank you.