M.P.s warned not to abuse free speech

Press, 22 July 1988, Page 5

M.P.s warned not to abuse free speech

Political reporter Members of Parliament have been warned to take care not to abuse their privilege of free speech in Parliament. The Acting Speaker, Mr Terris, ruled on a question before Parliament because it referred to a case before a court which was still awaiting adjudication. The question was associated with assertions in Parliament on Wednesday by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, that two men whom he named had been charged with conspiracy to defraud. The question was also associated with people whose names had been suppressed by the courts. Mr Terris said it had

been the rule in Parliament that members were not bound in the House by a court order suppressing a name.

But while they were not bound, they should use their provilege to break such an order “only in the most exceptional circumstances,” he said. It should be broken with respect and only in the public interest. “If a court makes a suppression-of-name order it must be presumed to have been made for a good reason and should be obeyed by members in Parliament unless the public interest compels them to act otherwise,” Mr Terris said.

“I can only envisage it

being necessary to disregard such an order in the most exceptional cases,” he said.

Mr Bolger said the Speaker’s ruling endorsed his only motivation — that the public good would be served by speaking out.

“I am concerned with the need for the public and investors to be informed,” he said. “I don’t critise the judge for the name suppression; he had his duty and I had mine.”

Members of parliament faced the public every three years and if any were considered to have acted improperly the remedy was in the hands of the voters.