John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. Will the minister outline for the House the role of the media in reporting the facts on an issue impartially, accurately and with integrity?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister has the call and will be heard in silence.

Mr Christensen interjecting—

The member for Dawson will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Dawson then left the chamber.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Reid for his question and his ongoing interest in media issues. It is indeed vital that the media take seriously their responsibility to report the facts with honesty and integrity. The media's main role is to report the news, not to make the news. I know the vast majority of the press gallery here do their jobs with integrity each and every day right across the spectrum, but there are some examples that should serve as cautionary tales.

In 2009 the Godwin Grech affair, also known as Utegate, and broken by Steve Lewis of News Limited, showed that certain parts of the media were involved in the attempted sabotage of a democratically elected government. Time and the truth ultimately brought out the real story in that matter. Now we are seeing another example that should be taken extremely seriously. Members will recall the splash, again by Steve Lewis, on 20 April about allegations of sexual harassment against the Speaker—

Mr Danby interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Melbourne Ports is warned.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order. I refer you to page 505 of House of Representatives Practice, which states:

The convention is that, subject to the right of the House to legislate on any matter, matters awaiting adjudication in a court of law should not be brought forward in debate, motions or questions.

As this matter is before the Federal Court it is not in order.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business raises a very important order of sub judice. The issue in respect of the Speaker is currently before the courts.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on the point of order, the sub judice rule applies as a result of the exercise of your own discretion. It is a case-by-case basis. The Leader of the House in his capacity as the Minister representing the minister for communications has not yet gone into any of those details. If he were to do that, my understanding is that these are matters which have been made public by the court itself, and as a consequence the balance of public interest would be to allow these matters to be considered by the House.

Mr Randall interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How about the member for Canning allowing me to get on with the business of the House? I will hear the Minister representing the minister for communications but I will state that I am mindful of the sub judice issues before the chair and that the issues are currently before the court. The minister has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am also very mindful of those issues, which is why I am referring to articles published online today as a result of a release of documents publicly by the court. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald titled '"We will get him!": journalist's alleged texts to Slipper accuser' went online today—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order. The Leader of the House is referring to an affidavit lodged in the Federal Court. That is clearly a matter before the Federal Court and cannot be canvassed in the House.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House has the call. I will listen carefully but I am wary of the issues that are currently taking part in court action.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is very clear that we need to draw a distinction and that people in the media need to recognise whether they are reporters or participants, observers or activists. There is an important distinction between the two that has to be upheld for the sake of the integrity of the media. The fact is that the first I knew about those allegations was when they were published in the Daily Telegraph. I am not surprised that, given the reports today outlining the active involvement prior to the publication of those allegations—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order—

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're sweating, Pyne.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McEwen will leave the chamber under 94(a).

Ms O'Dwyer interjecting—

The member for Higgins might be close behind. The member for McEwen will leave the chamber under 94(a). This is a very important matter. I know everyone is hot under the collar about it but I think we should listen to it carefully.

The member for McEwe n then left the chamber.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order. The Leader of the House is now canvassing the Commonwealth's case in the Federal Court action. He is clearly now taking the argument of the Commonwealth and putting it into the parliament. It is not in order—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The difficulty with all these issues is that it is up to my discretion and the discretion of the chair. I ask the minister to conclude his answer.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I conclude by saying this is an issue which involves taxpayers directly, because we are talking about an issue that involves taxpayers' interests and whether when someone was on the taxpayers' payroll they were meeting in News Ltd—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The last part of the minister's answer will not be incorporated into Hansard as I had asked him to resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Further to that, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the House attempted to table documents to include in the Hansard that are also sub judice, and I ask you to have them ruled from the record.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. There is no issue of sub judice in respect of an article that is already in existence. I will seek advice from the Clerk afterwards about the incorporation into Hansard, as I had asked the minister to resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I table the document from the Sydney Morning Herald today.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, if it is not in order for the Leader of the House to make remarks in the chamber and place them on the Hansard when they are sub judice, it certainly is not within his power to table those same remarks.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. I will seek advice after question time about the incorporation of the document.