Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Chief Government Whip for his question. I inform the House that yesterday there was a failure in the computer system supporting the microphones in the Main Committee. This in turn meant that there was no audio recording available for transcription of the Hansard. When advised there was a problem, the chair initially suspended the committee to allow time to diagnose and fix the problem. When the problem could not be resolved, however, the Main Committee was adjourned.

I am advised that the consequence was that a Hansard record could not be prepared of the constituency speeches made by four members: the members for Fremantle, Maranoa, Perth—that is, the Minister for Foreign Affairs—and Cowan. In addition, the private members’ business and grievance debate scheduled for yesterday could not be commenced. As an aside, I ask the whips to consider sympathetically the scope for rescheduling the private members’ business items.

I can advise the House that DPS technical staff worked overnight to rectify the problem and that it has been resolved successfully. Importantly, I am also advised that this problem would not occur in relation to the chamber as there is a backup system in place. This is not the case for the Main Committee as the contingency plan for ICT support provided for relocation into another committee room. Despite the intense pressure on our ICT funding, a backup system will be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

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