Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I have no advice about whether or not Mr Thomson, the member for Dobell, is going to make statements about matters or not make statements about matters. That is clearly a matter for him. But I would observe that Senator Brandis has been very keen to encourage the police to investigate matters relating to the HSU, and it seems to me that one of the barriers to someone making a statement about their involvement in issues is an ongoing police investigation. So it does not surprise me that someone would consider their position before saying too much, given there is an ongoing police investigation. But those are clearly matters for the member for Dobell.

I would remind the Senate that there are a number of investigations occurring in rela­tion to concerns that have arisen in relation to the administration of the HSU. I and the government make no comment on those. We have consistently said that this is a matter for those authorities to pursue. It is important that they are allowed to do that work free from any political interference, free from people ringing their mates, encouraging them to give directions perhaps to officials about how they should or should not respond. That is not the sort of behaviour that I think assists at all.

The other thing I would remind the Senate of, which I think should be dear to the hearts of all senators, is the presumption of natural justice and the capacity for people to have a fair hearing and deal with the appropriate authorities unencumbered by political comment or political pointscoring. It is certainly a policy I have pursued in relation to coalition members who from time to time have had difficulties relating to matters. The former Democrat Senator Murray also had those difficulties. We chose not to comment on them. We continue that policy, and I suggest Senator Brandis would serve himself and the parliament well by following that policy as well.