House debates

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Committees

Privileges and Members' Interests Committee; Report

9:11 am

Photo of Nicola RoxonNicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

On behalf of the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests I present the following reports:

Report concerning an application from Mr Ian Munro for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives, and

Report concerning an application from Mr Brian McCarty for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives,

In accordance with standing order 39(f) the reports were made parliamentary papers.

by leave—I move:

That the reports be agreed to.

I seek leave to make a statement in connection with the reports and in connection with a current committee inquiry.

Leave granted.

The reports I have presented concern applications from two persons for the publication of responses to references made about them in the House. The committee has recommended to the House that the responses in the terms included in the reports be incorporated in Hansard. In recommending that the responses be incorporated in Hansard, the committee emphasises that, as required by the right of reply resolution, it has not considered or judged the truth of any statements made by members in the House or by the persons seeking responses.

The document s read as follows—

Response by Mr Brian McCarty to remarks made by the Member for Leichhardt

On 17 September 2012 the Member for Leichhardt, Mr Warren Entsch MP, made a speech in the House of Representatives which identified me by name, and included false statements about me. This is my submission under the 'Right of Reply' process.

Mr Entsch referred to a satirical political blog website in Cairns called hillbillywatch.com that has criticised politicians and other public figures in Cairns, and he erroneously and inappropriately linked it to me.

Mr Entsch also stated that I had attempted two web ventures, 'coralseastudios.com and webjazz.com', both of which he said he had been told turned out badly.

In relation to Coral Sea Studios this is untrue. Coral Sea Studios Pty Ltd is a registered Australian company that was never a 'web' venture. It was an attempt to develop a world-class recording studio complex in Cairns in 2000-2001, and again at Mr Entsch's encouragement in 2005 as demonstrated by a letter of support signed by Mr Entsch in 2005. The 2001 effort foundered when the 9/11 tragedy occurred in the USA.

In 2005, Mr Entsch attempted to encourage us to proceed again with the Coral Sea Studios venture, promising support that never materialised. These professionals would never have invested money and reputation in this venture if they were concerned about the ethics of the managing director.

There is no such venture anywhere listed as 'webjazz.com'.

Contrary to Mr Entsch's remarks, I have no 'former associates' that have issued any advice to Mr Entsch about 'attempted investment fraud using fake website content and stolen identities'. This is false and I object to any suggestion that I have ever done anything illegal or immoral.

I do not work at the Baskin-Robbins ice cream franchise on the Cairns Esplanade as guest relations manager as claimed by Mr Entsch.

Suggestions made by Mr Entsch that I have a 'severe personality disorder' are also untrue. I am active in various technical and standards committees in the film and TV industry, to the delight of my colleagues. My 20+ years as a sound engineer at the highest levels of filmmaking in Hollywood, including as part of the sound team on three pictures nominated for 'Best Sound' at the Oscars, is legendary. And I continue to make contributions to the entertainment industry on behalf of Australia, as a proud Australian.

Response by Ian Munro to remarks of the Member for Hume

On the 30th October 2012, the Member for Hume, Mr Alby Schultz MP, falsely claimed that I entered the Parliament (on an unspecified date) with intent to intimidate people and that I had gone to the Member for Farrer's Office. At no time have I entered Federal Parliament with the intention to intimidate people nor have I ever visited the office of the Member for Farrer.

On a separate matter, the committee has authorised me to make this statement on its behalf. On 22 May 2012, the House referred to the committee an inquiry into whether, in the course of his statement on 21 May 2012, the honourable member for Dobell deliberately misled the House. Since the referral the committee has been progressing the inquiry, although its work is not yet complete.

The member for Dobell has now been charged with a number of criminal matters. The committee considers that the laying of criminal charges raises significant issues in terms of the operation of the sub judice convention. This convention endeavours to ensure that the House and its committees in their deliberations do not prejudice the outcome of judicial proceedings. The committee has therefore decided to suspend its inquiry. The inquiry remains live and at the conclusion of judicial proceedings the committee will consider how it should proceed with the inquiry.

9:14 am

Photo of Alby SchultzAlby Schultz (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—I rise to make a statement in relation to the report titled Report concerning an application from Mr Ian Munro for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives. On Tuesday 30 October 2012, during the debate on the Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Bill 2012, I made a statement in relation to Mr Ian Jock Munro. This statement was that he came into this parliament and tried to intimidate people, that he went to the office of the member for Farrer, and that she was, following that meeting, distraught.

I want to put the record straight that I inadvertently, following a phone call about a threat made to the member for Farrer, did not check my facts in terms of whether Mr Munro was in fact in the House. The reality was that he was not. But the issue now is centred around what occurred involving Mr Munro. Mr Munro telephoned the member for Farrer—I checked with her last night to get my facts right—and threatened her. I gave her some advice in relation to the contravention of telecommunications legislation and the Crimes Act and instructed her to contact the Australian Federal Police, which she did. She reported the matter to the Australian Federal Police.

I apologise to the House for my lack of due diligence in the way in which I reported the concerns raised with me by the member for Farrer. I think the issue of a threat being made against a female member of this parliament needs to be aired. I thank the parliament for the indulgence.

9:16 am

Photo of Warren EntschWarren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

by leave—I rise to make a statement in relation to a report titled: Report concerning an application from Mr Brian McCarty for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives. I would like to respond to a document that was tabled in relation to statements made in this place on 17 September regarding the activities of Mr Brian McCarty, who has a very toxic and very inappropriate blog called Hillbilly Watch. He hides behind this blog in an effort to remain anonymous. He came out in a right of reply in the first instance denying that he has any association with that, claiming that I erroneously or inappropriately linked Mr McCarty.

I have two documents, appendices 1 and 2, which I will table at the end of my speech. One is an article from www.cairnsblog.net titled Hillbilly Blog Identities Exposed. The second one is at rossparisi.blogspot.com.au, titled Hillbilly Watch Brian McCarty Exposed. I have received a number of emails and text messages from people around Australia and from around the world congratulating me on exposing Brian McCarty as the main blogger behind hillbillywatch.com. There is no question at all about his association with hillbillywatch.com despite McCarty's ongoing attempts to hide behind anonymity. His identity as a blogger is widely known in Cairns and, from what I have discovered, around the world. Cairns people, however, have been reluctant to stand up to him, fearing repercussions.

In relation to the statement that Coral Sea Studios was not a web venture, I accept this assertion. However, I do not accept that the promise to support him never materialised. In 2005 I did sign a letter for McCarty when I met him for the first time when he came into my office—as I do for many other individuals—suggesting that he was wanting to set up this enterprise in the electorate. At the time, I was totally unaware of his actions. Coral Sea Studios did not amount to anything in spite of that letter of support.

However, I did withdraw my support later on when I found out that there were many unanswered questions and very serious allegations in relation to his conduct and his integrity in many previous business dealings. As examples, I am tabling the following documents: a page from usenet.com/newsgroup, posted on 13 October 2008, called Australian Music Artists Beware. In relation to the assertion, there was no such venture anywhere listed called webjazz.com, I submit that it should have should have read worldjazz.com. Unfortunately, that was a typo. Documents show that Mr McCarty is behind the scheme for internet broadcasting despite denying his involvement. The main registrations for world jazz are under the registrant of Coral Sea Studios Incorporated. I will be tabling that document as well.

In relation to McCarty's rejection of an attempted investment fraud using fake website content and stolen identities, I refer to appendices 3 and 4 in addition to an email dated 17 January this year that highlights how he was involved in this. In relation to a statement that Mr McCarty does not work at Baskin Robbins ice cream franchise in the Cairns Esplanade as a guest manager, Mr McCarty's LinkedIn profile listed his position as a guest relations manager for Baskin Robbins until at least September 2012. The reference has now been removed. However, only recently, at the end of last year, I flew from Brisbane to Cairns. I sat next to a gentleman who in fact was the state representative of Baskin Robbins. Although he did not know who I was, in the course of conversation he spoke quite openly about visiting the owner of the Baskin Robbins franchise and having dinner with him that night. And he identified the owner of that franchise as none other than Mr McCarty.

In relation to Mr McCarty's claims that he does not have any severe personality disorder, again, I tender the following documents: a blog posted about Pennsylvania resident Robin Morton including fires that were posted about the subject's neighbourhood.

In relation to the AdelaideNow news article: February 15—that is tomorrow, Speaker—marks the deadline for Google to identify the blogger behind five defamatory sites. This landmark decision from the South Australian court was as a result of legal action brought on by a South Australian footballer and businessman, Shane Radbone. I certainly look forward to Google being forced to identify this individual, who I have absolutely no doubt at all will be identified as none other than Brian McCarty. Hopefully, this will happen early next week.

9:22 am

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Is the member for Leichhardt seeking leave to table a series of documents?

Photo of Warren EntschWarren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I certainly am, Madam Speaker.

Leave granted.

9:23 am

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Just before the member for Leichhardt concludes can I reinforce what the member for Gellibrand stated, that a right of reply in no way indicates that an investigation into the issue has been carried out by the committee. I really do want to ensure that people are fully aware that that was made quite clear by the member for Gellibrand. I thank the members.