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Broadcasting of Senate and committee proceedings

2 Radio and television broadcasting of committee proceedings

The following rules apply in relation to radio and television broadcasting, including rebroadcasting, of the proceedings of a committee.

(1) Recording and broadcasting of proceedings of a committee may occur only in accordance with the authorisation of the committee by a deliberate decision of the committee.

(2) A committee may authorise the broadcasting of only its public proceedings.

(3) A committee may determine conditions, not inconsistent with these rules, for the recording and broadcasting of its proceedings, may order that any part of its proceedings not be recorded or broadcast, and may give instructions for the observance of conditions so determined and orders so made. A committee shall report to the Senate any wilful breach of such conditions, orders or instructions.

(4) Broadcasting of committee proceedings shall be for the purpose only of making fair and accurate reports of those proceedings, and, in particular:

(a) shall not be the subject of commercial sponsorship or be used for commercial advertising; and

(b) shall not be used for election advertising.

(5) Recording and broadcasting of proceedings of a committee shall not be such as to interfere with the conduct of those proceedings.

(6) Where a committee intends to permit the broadcasting of its proceedings, a witness who is to appear in those proceedings shall be given reasonable opportunity, before appearing in the proceedings, to object to the broadcasting of the proceedings and to state the ground of the objection. The committee shall consider any such objection, having regard to the proper protection of the witness and the public interest in the proceedings, and if the committee decides to permit broadcasting of the proceedings notwithstanding the witness’s objection, the witness shall be so informed before appearing in the proceedings.