Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Chair of the Privileges Committee, I present the 158th report of the Privileges Committee, entitled Person referred to in the Senate—Ms Heather Sculthorpe, Tasmanian Aboriginal Council.

Ordered that the report be adopted.

I seek leave to incorporate the tabling speech in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The incorpor at ed speech read as follows—

This report is the 69th in a series of reports recommending that a right of reply be afforded to persons who claim to have been adversely affected by being referred to in the Senate, either by name or in such a way as to be readily identified.

On 1 October 2014, the President received a submission from Ms Heather Sculthorpe relating to a speech made by Senator Jacqui Lambie during the adjournment debate in the Senate on 23 September 2014. The President referred the submission to the committee under Privilege Resolution 5.

The committee considered the submission at its meeting today and recommends that the proposed response be incorporated in Hansard.

The committee reminds the Senate that in matters of this nature it does not judge the truth or otherwise of statements made by honourable senators or the persons referred to. Rather, it ensures that these persons' submissions, and ultimately the responses it recommends, accord with the criteria set out in Privilege Resolution 5.

I commend the motion to the Senate.