Chifley Accused Of “Gestapo” Methods

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 October 1948, Page 6

Chifley Accused Of “Gestapo” Methods

: ' • CANBERRA, October??. Two Commonwealth investigation oncers this afternoon entered Parliament House, went to the office of Mr A. W. Fadden, leader of the Country Party, and sought to interrogate him on the allegedly secret document produced by him in Parliament last week. The document purported to be a report of a meeting of the British Cabinet attended by the Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) at No. 10 Downing Street, at which reference was alleged to have been made to the reluctance of the United States authorities to entrust top defence secrets to Australia.

•Mr Fadden immediately summoned Canberra political correspondents to his room. The police and Mr Fadden were arguing heatedly when the press representatives arrived, whereupon the police refused to continue the interrogation. Discussion Refused • Later, in the House of Representatives, Mr Fadden moved that it was a breach of privilege that he should be interviewed by the police in the precincts of the House. The ActingSpeaker (Mr J. J. Clark) ruled that no claim of breach of privilege could be sustained because Mr Fadden’s right to take his place in Parliament or his freedom of speech had not been prejudiced. Mr Fadden’s motion was placed on the notice paper as an ordinary motion, which means that it will not be debated until Government business is disposed of. The discussion ended in confusion, with Opposition members taking points of order, which were disregarded by the Acting-Speaker. He accepted a motion of dissent from his ruling, which, he said, would also be placed on the business paper. When the press representatives appeared in Mr Fadden’s office, one detective said to Mr Fadden: “Our business with you is really of a private character. Are these gentlemen newspaper representatives?” Mr Fadden replied, “Yes, certainly. But go right ahead.” When a detective said it was a matter of confidential inquiries, Mr Fadden retorted: “It is not confidential as far as I am concerned. It is public.” The detective replied that they were not permitted to discuss inquiries in public, and that he would have to consult the appropriate authorities. The detectives then left.

Refusal to Answer

When asked by the press whether he had given the police permission to enter the building, the ActingSpeaker (Mr J. J. Clark) answered: “I reply to all questions in Parliament, not to the press.” Shortly after the incident the joint Opposition executive met and decided on a plan of action. Later, in the House of Representatives, Mr Fadden moved that, “it is a breach of privilege that I should be interrogated or sought to be interrogated by the security police at the instigation of the Prime Minister and the Government, in the precincts of this House, in respect of matters occurring or arising from the discharge of my public duties in the national Parliament.”

Mr Fadden said the matter was of far-reaching consequence to the democratic institutions of Parliament and the privileges of members. “Just prior to the resumption of the sitting of this Parliament,” he said, “I was seen in my room by two detective-in-spectors of the security police in respect of matters which were brought up by me in the course of public debate in this Parliament. “Gross Abuse of Privilege” “That I should be interviewed by them in the precincts of Parliament is itself a gross abuse of privilege. That this should take place at the direction of the Prime Minister of this country—because it is quite clear from his speeches that they are acting under his or the Government’s instructions —makes the offence a graver one. “But the supreme gravity is that by this method it is sought to intimidate not only myself but all other members of the Opposition and to stifle criticism by those members in the discharge of their public duties. No more serious matter could possibly arise in a democratic Parliament than this gross invasion of the rights of a member. “When the security police saw me,” said Mr Fadden, “they sought to have what they termed a confidential interview with me. I immediately made it plain that they would have

no such interview in respect of a public matter, and that if they had anything to say they could say it in the presence of the so -far free press of this country. I say ‘so far free’ advisedly, having regard to what has happened today. “No member of this Parliament who has any sense of, responsibility could dispute the fact that frequently there come to each man in public life matters which are held* to be confidential,” Mr Fadden continued. “The supreme judgment which must be made by every member on these matters is when the public interest is so compelling as to’ override the necessity of continuing to treat these matters as confidential. Call of Public Duty “The debate in which I referred to certain confidential information which had come to me was an occasion when my public duty compelled me to direct the attention of the Australian public to what I considered was a vital issue affecting the country. “I desire to make it plain to the Prime Minister and the community in general that no matter what the consequences are I shall not be interrogated by any secret Gestapo of this Government. The Prime Minister must take the responsibility for the serious invasion he has made into the principle of the freedom of speech of members of this Parliament. “The people will judge whether the Labour Party is not already far along the road which leads to a Gestapo, intimidation, fear, and all the other handmaidens which accompany extreme dictatorship in all parts of the world.” v Mr Fadden told reporters earliertoday that he suspected that his telephone calls were being tapped. Some correspondents believe that the security service has been told to regard Mr Fadden as a private citizen, not as a member of Parliament, and that the Government is justifying its action by citing the case of the Canadian member o£ Parliament, Mr Rose, who was spied on for months before disclosures were made about the Canadian spy ring.