Dr NELSON (3:12 PM) —My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, one week ago the New South Wales Premier stood down John Della Bosca as a minister for his role in the Iguana nightclub affair. Will the Prime Minister now stand down the member for Robertson as Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —I would say this to all honourable members participating in this debate: these are most serious matters. Furthermore, that is why this government believes in due process. That is, furthermore, why this government believes in allowing an independent police investigation to proceed politically unmolested. Furthermore, I would ask those opposite to reflect on how they handled these circumstances only last year, when there was a police investigation underway into the member for Moreton, the member for Bowman and the member for Bonner. What happened on that occasion was that the then member for Moreton used the platform of the parliament to launch a direct attack on the police who were conducting that investigation. That is not proper.

Furthermore, I would draw honourable member’s attention to this fact: there is an importance which should be attached to due process. We on this side of the House will adhere to due process proceeding. The honourable Attorney-General has outlined the processes concerning the police investigation. We will await the outcome of those investigations and we will act appropriately in response to the conclusion of those investigations. That is the right course of action. The wrong course of action was that which was sanctioned by those opposite when they used the platform of the parliament, I presume authorised by the Prime Minister of the day, to directly attack the Australian Federal Police in the midst of the conduct of an investigation.

For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, I would say this: the member for Robertson has advised the Leader of the House that she will not be chairing the House of Representatives standing committee while this process ensues and that she will be donating the allowance as chair of that committee to a local charity until such time as the investigations are concluded.