Thursday, 18 August 2022

Committees

Privileges Committee

Inquiry into Mr Adem Somyurek’s Use of Government Resources

Ms SHING (Eastern Victoria—Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (09:39): Pursuant to standing order 23.29, I lay on the table a report from the Privileges Committee on the inquiry into Mr Adem Somyurek’s use of government resources, including appendices, and I move:

That the report be published.

Motion agreed to.

Ms SHING: I move:

That the Council take note of the report.

In doing so, I want to outline for the benefit of the chamber a number of considerations which have informed the work of the Privileges Committee in the drafting and completion of this report. Mr Somyurek’s reference to the Parliament of his motion was a matter which contained a number of assertions and suppositions which go to the heart of matters that are the subject of contemplation and ultimately determination by the Victorian Ombudsman and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

The tabling of the report into Operation Watts was, as determined unanimously by the Privileges Committee, a significant intervening factor into the way in which the Privileges Committee discharged its obligations pursuant to the terms of reference. It is noteworthy that the terms of reference were extremely wideranging and in fact sought to investigate and to initiate an inquiry of substance that overlapped in large part with the work of Operation Watts and the investigation by the Ombudsman and by the IBAC. The latter investigation, which resulted in the tabling out of session of the Operation Watts report and its various findings and recommendations, was a matter which was undertaken with significant resources over a long period of time and went to detail and to issues which are of significance not just to this chamber, not just to the Parliament but to the conduct of individuals across a range of circumstances. The Privileges Committee has not sought to intervene in or indeed to displace the findings, recommendations or conclusions reached by integrity bodies in the course of the Operation Watts investigation or the tabling of the final report.

For reasons set out in the Privileges Committee report it is important to note that the scope of this committee is limited. The Privileges Committee has indicated very clearly to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission that it had never intended to, nor did it wish to, intervene in or displace any of the findings, recommendations, conclusions or decisions reached by the integrity bodies in its work. It is, however, important to note that in discharging our obligations pursuant to the motion the unanimous decision that the Operation Watts report constituted a significant intervening factor has materially changed the way in which the Privileges Committee could operate to discharge and to acquit to the relevant extent available obligations pursuant to the terms of reference. In shorthand, this is a matter which the Privileges Committee has been able to turn its mind to in the way appropriate to the rules and to the frameworks within which the Privileges Committee operates.

To that end and given the very tight time frames which applied in the Privileges Committee work following the reference of that matter to the committee pursuant to a resolution of this Council, I wish to place on the record my thanks and thanks on behalf of other committee members to the secretariat for working assiduously to particularly cross-reference the work, consideration and determination of the various matters in the Operation Watts report and inquiry on the one hand with the terms of reference and contributions made in support of it as far as this Council resolution goes on the other. To Richard Willis, Patrick O’Brien and Juliana Duan, thank you for all of your work behind the scenes. I also wish to thank fellow committee members. The process of this matter was one which was undertaken necessarily within very tight time frames according to the terms of the motion as passed. Thank you, Mr Grimley, our deputy chair, for your work, and Mr Atkinson, Mr Bourman, Mr Davis, Mr Leane, Mr Rich-Phillips, Ms Symes and Ms Tierney.

This is work which has been undertaken and the subject of unanimous decision. I look forward to being able to move to see this report accepted, to see it for what it is—namely, operating within the structure and systems of the Privileges Committee as are available to it within the rules and frameworks of this Parliament. I also note that there are a number of matters in this report which go directly to the substance and conclusions reached in Operation Watts and its report, and again it is important to underscore that in no way, shape or form has the Privileges Committee sought to intervene in, interfere with or displace any of the work, considerations or conclusions reached by integrity agencies in that regard. I commend, on that basis, the committee’s report to the house.

Motion agreed to.