Senator KNOWLES —I present the report of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee on the provisions of the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Work for the Dole) Bill 1997 together with submissions and the transcript of proceedings.

Ordered that the report be printed.

Senator KNOWLES —I seek leave to make a very brief statement of about 30 seconds not in relation to the actual report but in relation to another matter relating to the report.

Leave granted.

Senator KNOWLES —I draw the attention of the Senate to the fact that there has been a very serious breach of privilege in that this entire report was obviously leaked to a journalist in advance of its presentation in the Senate this afternoon. An article in today's Australian quotes verbatim sections of this report. I will be pursuing this through the actual channels available to me as chairman of this committee and, if need be, through the Privileges Committee.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Reynolds) —Senator Knowles, I am advised that there is a particular method for raising this matter, but you have raised it in your own way.