At the request of Senator Heffernan, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges for inquiry and report:

Having regard to the material submitted to the President by the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee, whether a witness was threatened with, or subjected to, any penalty or injury on account of his evidence to the committee, whether there was any attempt improperly to interfere with a witness before the committee, and whether any contempt of the Senate was committed in those regards.

Question agreed to.