Senator ROBERT RAY (5:22 PM) —I present the 84th and 85th reports of the Committee of Privileges entitled Possible unauthorised disclosure of draft parliamentary committee report and Possible intimidation of a witness before the Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee, respectively, together with a volume of submissions and documents associated with the 84th report.

Ordered that the reports be printed.

Senator ROBERT RAY —I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the reports.

Leave granted.

Senator ROBERT RAY —I move:

Each of these reports derives from matters brought before the Senate by the Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee. The matter which is the subject of the 84th report was referred to the Committee of Privileges on 2 September 1999. It relates to unauthorised disclosures of, and dealings with, a draft report of the employment committee on regional employment and unemployment.

The second matter, referred on 12 August 1999, relates to possible penalty on or intimidation of a witness as a result of his communication with the committee during its inquiry into indigenous education. Both reports contain an account of the incidents giving rise to the reference.

Briefly, the unauthorised disclosure concerned the transmission of a draft report of the employment committee to a minister's office and from there to the minister's department without authority of the committee. The Committee of Privileges has concluded in general terms that a contempt has occurred both within the minister's office and within the department. It has also made recommendations about the need for appropriate training within parliamentary offices, particularly those of ministers and shadow ministers, and about Senate committees' handling of documents.

The 85th report involves a witness before the employment committee who purported to speak on behalf of an organisation for which he worked and the efforts of the CEO of that organisation to prevent his communicating in that capacity with the employment committee. The Committee of Privileges has, with some reluctance, made a finding that a contempt has been committed.

For reasons given in each report, the committee has recommended that no penalty be imposed. Given the nature of the committee's findings, seven days notice is required before the Senate proceeds with consideration of these matters. Accordingly, I seek leave to give two motions relating to the reports.

Leave granted.

Senator ROBERT RAY —I give notice that, seven days after today, I shall move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.