Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That Senator Thorpe be required to attend the Senate chamber immediately after the conclusion of formal motions on Wednesday, 26 October 2022 to make a statement of not more than 15 minutes, addressing:

(a) the nature of her relationship with Dean Martin, former president of Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang; and

(b) the allegations made by ABC media on 20 October 2022 that:

(i) Senator Thorpe had been made aware by staff that because of her position on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, which was receiving confidential briefings about bikie gangs and organised crime, her relationship and continued communications with Mr Martin put her at an extreme risk of being extorted and create perceptions of a conflict of interest,

(ii) despite being informed of the serious risks, Senator Thorpe chose to ignore the warning and keep her relationship with Mr Martin hidden from the Leader of the Australian Greens, Mr Bandt, and the committee, and

(iii) in an effort to conceal her ongoing relationship with Mr Martin from the public and the Senate, Senator Thorpe communicated with Mr Martin using encrypted communications app Signal, clearing their conversations once a week, and never met at their respective homes; and

(c) whether information related to Senator Thorpe's work for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement was provided to Mr Martin, or any other associate of an outlaw motorcycle gang via encrypted communications or any other means.

(2) That any senator may move a motion to take note of Senator Thorpe's statement, that debate on the motion may proceed for a period of up to 60 minutes, and that senators may speak to the motion for not more than 10 minutes each.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We believe that the matter that is the subject of this request for attendance in the chamber has been appropriately dealt with by referral to the Privileges Committee, so the opposition will not be supporting this motion.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business motion No. 66 in the name of Senator Hanson be agreed to.