Points of Order — Breach of Privilege—Television One

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I raise what I consider to be quite a serious matter for your consideration. We have a situation in which there is a question mark about whether a Minister deliberately misled the House last Thursday. As you appreciate, I have raised that with you in the appropriate manner as a breach of privilege. I am not about to litigate that here. But last night we had a situation whereby Television One opened its news broadcast by saying that David Benson-Pope had lied in Parliament. That was the opening sentence of the news last night. Last night on the news Television One reported Phil Weaver as saying that the Minister had lied to this House. That is not something members can do, but it shows you the serious nature of what is before you in my breach of privilege complaint. We cannot have a news reporter, news reports, and Television One, in particular, saying that a Minister has lied, and not have this House take it seriously.

We also have another situation before us. The Government has announced an inquiry. I have written to the Prime Minister and suggested some terms of reference—or some things to consider for the terms of reference. But we cannot be in a situation whereby it is the Government that decides whether David Benson-Pope deliberately misled Parliament. The only body that can consider that is Parliament itself. That is done through the Privileges Committee, as is proper. If it is the case that you do not want to refer David Benson-Pope to the Privileges Committee for it to consider whether he misled Parliament and lied, then you have no option but to send Television One to the committee. Television One is claiming that he did lie, which in itself is a breach of privilege.

We are looking at the release of the Budget tomorrow, and then at a week’s adjournment. I do not think that Parliament can be in good standing if we have—[Interruption] Well, members may like to chip in from the back of the House and interrupt me. It would be a lot easier and a lot quicker if they would follow the Standing Orders, and be quiet or take a point of order after me. We cannot be in a situation in this Parliament whereby it is being reported in the news that Ministers lie in Parliament. I suggest to you, Madam Speaker, that, for the sake of Parliament, you consider my breach of privilege complaint and make an announcement on that while Parliament is sitting this week. Otherwise we will be stuck with the adjournment, and the allegations will continue through the media.

I thank the member for his comment. I first make the observation that it is not for any member of this House to tell the Speaker what his or her options are. I acknowledge that the member has raised the matter as a point of privilege, which is the correct procedure. It is not the correct procedure to litigate a matter of privilege through a point of order, which is just what has happened. I also remind members that it is for any member to raise any TV statement as a matter of privilege if he or she wishes to do so. If members do that, they will do it through the correct procedure, which is to write to the Speaker. The correct procedure is being followed.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I certainly did not want to litigate the breach of privilege in the House. I did want to suggest to you that it is quite serious, with Television One reporting what it has reported. I can satisfy you that I have written to you again with further evidence following Television One’s reports last night, and have actually suggested that if you are not prepared to take David Benson-Pope to the Privileges Committee, then you certainly have to look at taking Television One news.

I thank the member, but he is relitigating the matter upon which I have already ruled. If he has written to me again, of course I will follow the correct procedure.