Page 2103 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 9 September 1992

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Question put:

That this Bill, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted -

AYES, 10NOES, 7

Mr Berry Mrs Carnell
Mr Connolly Mr Cornwell
Ms Ellis Mr De Domenico
Ms Follett Mr Humphries
Mrs Grassby Mr Kaine
Mr Lamont Mr Stevenson
Ms McRae Mr Westende
Mr Moore
Ms Szuty
Mr Wood

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Sitting suspended from 12.36 to 2.30 pm

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Assembly Precincts - Police Investigation

MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I address a question to you. Yesterday two police officers from the fraud squad were, I understand, on the Assembly premises and they entered a member's office to take photographs of a facsimile machine and to pursue an investigation instigated by the Government. I ask you: Is it not the case that the police have no power to enter the Assembly precincts in the ordinary course of their duty without the consent of the presiding officer? Secondly, has a breach of privilege occurred in that members of the AFP did in fact enter the Assembly precincts without your approval and certainly without the knowledge of members of the Assembly? Thirdly, what action do you propose to take to prevent a recurrence of this and to ensure that members are kept informed of police movements in the Assembly precincts, particularly if the police are here at the behest of a paranoid Labor government?

MADAM SPEAKER: In answering this question I should advise members that there does exist a protocol for AFP access to the precincts of the Assembly and that this protocol was reaffirmed with Australian Federal Police officers by me at the commencement of the sittings this year. This protocol does indeed govern access to this building and the Assembly precincts. This morning I was approached by the Australian Federal Police by telephone for permission to enter the building today, which permission I gave. They informed me that they had been in the building yesterday and that they believed that that was in accordance with the protocol that existed.


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