Senate debates

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Documents

Australian Broadcasting Corporation; Order for the Production of Documents

6:11 pm

Photo of James McGrathJames McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion 1301 to push back the date from 10 February to 14 February.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That—

(a) there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, by no later than midday on Monday, 14 February 2022:

(i) all legal advice, internal or external, obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in relation to any legal liability that the ABC could be exposed to by social media posts by its employees, including but not limited to, the ABC's liability for defamatory social media posts by Ms Louise Milligan,

(ii) all documents, including (but not limited to) correspondence, emails, file notes, written notes and text messages, that formed the basis for the ABC's decision to pay Ms Milligan's legal costs in relation to the claim made by Dr Andrew Laming,

(iii) all documents, including (but not limited to) correspondence, emails, file notes, written notes and text messages, relating to:

(A) the ABC's agreement to indemnify Ms Milligan for costs against a claim by Dr Andrew Laming,

(B) payment of Ms Milligan's legal costs and damages in relation to the Laming claim, and

(iv) all documents, including (but not limited to) correspondence, emails, file notes, written notes and text messages, that substantiate all claims made in Senate Estimates hearings by ABC employees that relate to the payment of Ms Milligan's legal fees, and

(v) all documents, including (but not limited to) correspondence, emails, file notes, written notes and text messages, relating to the ABC Board's consideration of the ABC Managing Director's decision to indemnify Ms Milligan; and

(b) if the Senate is not sitting when the documents are ready for presentation, the documents are to be presented to the President under standing order 166.

Photo of Jacqui LambieJacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I request that item (a)(i) be taken separately.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that part (a)(i) of the motion be agreed to.

6:20 pm

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that the remaining parts of the motion be agreed to.