Legislative Assembly Privileges Committee

Person Referred To In The Legislative Assembly

Mr Tom Love

May 2002

Ordered To Be Printed

By Authority

Government Printer For The State Of Victoria

No 146 — Session 1999-2002

Members Of The Committee

Mr P J Loney, MP Chair
Hon J W Thwaites, MP Deputy Chair
Hon R F Cooper, MP
Mr T J Holding, MP
Hon R J Hulls, MP
Hon R R C Maclellan, MP
Mr N J Maughan, MP
Mr D A Nardella, MP
Mr A F Plowman, MP

Staff

Mr G H Westcott, Clerk of Committees, Legislative Assembly
Ms L Choat, Manager, Procedure Office, Legislative Assembly

REPORT

On 7 November 2001 Mr Tom Love wrote a submission to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Honourable Alex Andrianopoulos, seeking redress under Sessional Order 7 relating to the protection of persons referred to in the Legislative Assembly.

The submission referred to statements made by the Honourable Andre Haermeyer on 2 September 1998, 10 November 1998, 6 May 1999, 4 October 2000 and 7 June 2001. The Speaker, having accepted the submission as a submission for the purposes of the Sessional Order, referred it to the Committee on 26 November 2001.

The Committee met in private session on 28 November 2001 to deliberate on the submission.

In examining Mr Love’s submission the Committee was guided by the requirements and tests laid down in Sessional Orders. These are attached as Appendix 1.

Of the issues raised by Mr Love, the Committee noted that all but one related to comments made in the House more than six months prior to his submission. The Committee resolved only to consider the comments made in June 2001 unless Mr Love could show exceptional circumstances existed to preclude an earlier submission.

Mr Love supplied further information by letter of 5 December 2001. The Committee met again in private session on 27 March 2002 and 15^th May 2002, and resolved not to allow a right of reply on the grounds:

The length of time since the comments were made.

The general, rather than specific, nature of Mr Love’s submission.

Mr Love’s failure to provide specific evidence of damage to his reputation.

The Committee draws attention to Sessional Order 7(6) which requires that, in considering a submission under this Sessional Order and reporting to the House, the Committee shall not consider or judge the truth of any statements made in the House or in the submission.

Recommendation:

That no further action be taken in respect of the submission from Mr Tom Love.

Committee Room

15^th May 2002