Speaker’s Statements

Madam SPEAKER Link to this

On 27 October 2006 the police executed a search warrant as part of the investigation into the activities of Taito Phillip Field. The search involved material held in parliamentary and electorate offices. It was conducted in accordance with a search warrant, and an interim agreement between the Speaker and the Commissioner of Police. The interim agreement was designed to ensure that the search warrant was executed without improperly interfering with the functioning of Parliament, and that any claim of parliamentary privilege in relation to physical or electronic documents that the police may have wanted to seize could be raised and properly resolved. Such a situation had not arisen before, and an interim agreement was required to provide for the immediate circumstance. Members may wish to consider the terms of the interim agreement before any ongoing agreement is formalised. Therefore, I intend to present the interim agreement to the House today, and seek to have the Privileges Committee consider it once the police investigation and any subsequent action is concluded. Copies will be available in the Bills Office.