Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question for you. On Saturday I was present in the House with my family. I was showing them the highlights and the artworks when I was approached by either the APS or the AFP—which I could only assume because of the blue uniform. It not being a weekday, and not being in customary uniform myself, I can understand that the security person did not recognise me as a member of parliament, which is fair enough. I have to say that I did not recognise him, either. But, given that he was carrying a weapon, I assumed he was an official—although I did not see any identification, nor did I ask him for one. To quote him, he asked me to produce my ID, to which I replied that I was a member. He again asked me to produce my ID, to which I replied that I was a member of parliament, in case he had mistaken my membership for some other place. Without engaging in any conversation he then insisted very directly that he needed to see my ID. At this stage I realised this was not a simple case of not having recognised me as a member. I also have to say that I felt a little perplexed and somewhat intimidated as to what was the next stage, given that I do not have any ID. I rifled through my wallet, which luckily I was carrying—although this is not always the case in the House—to find something that I could use as ID. I could have produced my licence, my Medicare card or my Visa card—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I think the member is making his point. Would he come to the rest of his question.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, this is actually pretty important. I only have a few more words. I could have produced my licence, my Medicare card or my Visa card, all of which could easily have been obtained fraudulently, but instead I produced my car park entry card. This car park entry card seemed to be the ID that the security person was referring to.

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I draw your attention to the fact that in this part of the proceedings members should be raising either a matter of privilege or some other circumstance that entitles them to take this much time of the House. If the member is raising a matter of privilege, he should have said so at the beginning of these proceedings.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for O’Connor. I am listening carefully to the member for Oxley. I believe he is raising something that may be within the administration of the Speaker’s office. I am listening closely. I think the member for Oxley might conclude his question.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, as you would be aware, unlike members of staff and others in this place, members of parliament are not issued with any ID. As such, could you enquire as to which ID the security person was referring? Also, if a simple car park entry card would do, what was the point of his demand for ID without even asking my name or who I was at all, either before or afterwards? I would be interested to hear, when we do get about the House, which ID we need to carry.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Oxley. I will give careful consideration to his question, but I would make an observation. I am not aware of members of the parliamentary security staff carrying weapons when they are in this building. Therefore, I will look at it further and I will report back as appropriate.