Senate Committee of Privileges
Persons referred to in the Senate - Ms Christine Bourne
82nd Report
November 1999
REPORT
- On 1 November 1999 the President of the Senate, Senator the Honourable
Margaret Reid, received a letter from Ms Christine Bourne, seeking
redress under the resolution of the Senate of 25 February 1988
relating to the protection of persons referred to in the Senate (Privilege
Resolution 5).
- The letter referred to a speech made by Senator Stephen Hutchins,
during the adjournment debate on 23 September 1999. The
President, having accepted the letter as a submission for the purposes
of the resolution, referred it to the Committee of Privileges on 10 November 1999.
- The committee met in private session on 25 November 1999 and, pursuant
to paragraph (3) of Privilege Resolution 5, decided to consider the
submission. In agreeing to the attached response, the committee did
not consider it necessary to consult either Ms Bourne or Senator Hutchins
on the matter. It has decided to recommend the submission’s incorporation
in Hansard without substantive change.
- The committee recommends:
That a response by Ms Christine Bourne, in the terms
specified at Appendix One, be incorporated in Hansard.
Sue Knowles
Acting Chairman
APPENDIX ONE
RESPONSE BY MS CHRISTINE BOURNE
PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION 5(7)(B) OF THE SENATE
OF 28 FEBRUARY 1988
Complaint re: Senator Stephen Hutchins
On 23 September 1999, Senator Stephen Hutchins made the following remarks
in the Senate:
I am severely distressed by those words and am compelled to write this
submission to seek redress and an appropriate response in the parliamentary
record.
My complaint about those words is twofold. Firstly, I am distraught
that a very private matter is now in the public arena and my reputation
and standing in the community have been adversely affected because of
those words.
Secondly, those words referring to the bankruptcy notice, I contend,
had no relation to the speculative matters that Senator Hutchins raised
in his speech reported in Hansard, Wednesday 22 September, page
8604. His speculative speech very clearly identified me and I cannot
fathom the reason why he would publicly inform the nation of my notice
of bankruptcy other than to mischievously arouse curiosity by the media
and others, attract attention to my personal predicament and to deliberately
and maliciously cause me distress. In that respect he has succeeded.
By way of explanation, the bankruptcy matter has been brought on by
Alice Murphy, a Labor Party Councillor on Leichhardt Council who defeated
me in a byelection following a High Court ruling on a number of ballot
papers from the 1995 Local Government election. For the past four years
I have endured a long running court case, suffered personal financial
loss, faced relationship breakdown and moved on, leaving friends and
networks behind to begin a new life somewhere else.
I won an election but lost a court case and have been paying for it
ever since both financially and in my personal life. I feel I have suffered
enough at the hands of the Labor Party. To be publicly humiliated is
almost more than I can bear.
Because of Senator Hutchins’ comments, I have been readily identified,
subjected to questioning from political colleagues, speculation in the
local media, and intense pressure from friends and family.
His words were intended to hurt and by uttering the words he showed
a callous disregard for my privacy, my integrity and my reputation.
I humbly ask that consideration be given to me under Resolution 5 —
Protection of Persons referred to in the Senate — and the words
"Although Ms Bourne was unseated as result of a dispute over
the counting of a ballot which ultimately went to the High Court, I
understand that Ms Bourne has recently been served with a notice
of bankruptcy." be removed from Hansard. It would also be appropriate
that an apology should come from Senator Hutchins for the adverse effect
his words have had on my privacy and reputation.
Christine Bourne