Charge of breach of privilege

Press, 3 April 1980, Page 4

Charge of breach of privilege

PA ~ Wellington The Labour member of Parliament for Western Hutt (Mr J. J. L. Terris) yesterday faced a breach-of-privi-lege charge for allegedly discussing the merits of the Urban Transport Bill, which is -now before a select committee of which he is a member.

Invercargill’s National member, Mr N. P. H. Jones, moved .the charge because Mr Terris allegedly discussed the bill at a public meeting of local authorities on February 22.

Mr Jones said it was wrong for a, member of a Parlaimentary select committee to discuss a bill publicly, knowing he had to hear public submissions on it.

But Mr Terris told the Local Bills Committee meeting' yesterday that the submissions to be put to the committee had not been prepared at the meeting at which he spoke. Submissions from the Lower Hutt City Council were to be heard yesterday. However, , Te Atatu’s Labour member, Dr M. E. R. Bassett, disputed the charge, and said breach of privilege occurred only when somebody divulged information that had gone before a select committee before the committee had reported back to Parliament.