Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) | Hansard source

You did a great job, Speaker, in a long night that seemed to go for about five years from what I could work out. We need to get that balance right and look after the safety of everyone, including the fourth estate. I know their job has risks as well, as we saw during the protests last week—people being attacked just for doing their job.

There's a lot of work to do. We want to make sure we look after the rights of all Australians, particularly when it comes to dismissal. There are so many complications. We want to get that balance right, particularly in those situations where your employer is unhappy with you—and let's be honest: it's more likely to be the MP or the senator who's done the wrong thing, because of their position of power—and you make a complaint about that problematic person, especially if it's going to be played out in the media. If we're talking about criminal code type behaviour, I think we need to make sure that we have an independent investigator who has a parliamentary pass and can enter the building and secure a place that they need and not have to go through an entire process. MPs and senators are political animals; we need an independent person that can enter the building and do what they need to do to pursue justice rather than be worried about the implications of any particular investigation.

Commissioner Jenkins has put together a great report. She's certainly aware that the safety of everyone who works in this building and in our electorate offices is important. As I said, there's much work to be done, and Labor's ready to do that work. and I'm sure we'll be joined by a willing coalition government as well. That's why I support this bill.

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