Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges:Whether false or misleading evidence was given to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee or any other Senate committee concerning the Government’s knowledge of the rendition of Mr Mamdouh Habib to Egypt, and whether any contempt was committed in that regard.

Question agreed to.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I would like to make a brief statement in relation to this matter. At the outset, I feel obliged to inform the Senate that there are legal proceedings before the courts on related matters. As Senator Nettle well knows, the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs wrote to a number of officials seeking clarification of evidence given in relation to Mamdouh Habib’s detention. Those officials have responded in detail, confirming the accuracy of their evidence. In addition, those officials have offered to address any outstanding concerns the committee may have in relation to their evidence. Rather than identifying a specific concern, Senator Nettle has elected to stand up in the Senate with this motion. One can only assume that her real concern is not in resolving a real issue in a practical way but rather to grandstand in this place. Nevertheless, we do not oppose the reference and will support due process being exhausted.

Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I would like to make a short statement. This is a matter that I have been following for some time now—what Australian government officials knew about the rendition and torture of Mamdouh Habib in Egypt. It is a matter that I have followed through all the proper processes with the Senate, with the President and with the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, to try to get to the bottom of that very important question—what the Australian government and its authorities knew about the transfer of Mamdouh Habib to Egypt and what he experienced there. I was not intending to go on the public record now to talk about the discussions that have occurred in the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, where I have been putting forward the view that I have put forward in public as well that there needs to be an inquiry so that we can get to the bottom of this matter. That is the view that I have expressed consistently in public, to this Senate and to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. I think it is a really important matter that the public needs to understand—what did the Australian government know about the rendition and the torture of an Australia citizen, Mamdouh Habib? And I still want to know the answers to that question and I am going to continue to pursue it.

Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I would like to make a very short statement on behalf of the Democrats. I want to put on the record that the Democrats supported this reference and that, regardless of what some people may think of the motivations in relation to this reference, I am satisfied that Senator Nettle has pursued due process in getting the issue to this point. I also think there are some incredibly important outstanding questions and I am absolutely confident, as I am sure other colleagues are—those who have read the Hansard or looked at Senate estimates and other proceedings—that there are some stark and clear contradictions that need to be resolved, and I look forward to seeing them resolved. For that reason we gladly, and more graciously than some, supported the motion.