Senator CHIPP (Leader of the Australian Democrats)(3.38) —Mr President, I dissociate myself and my Party from Senator Missen's attack on the Clerks of the chamber. I totally support what you have just said about them. I join Senator Haines, Senator Durack and Senator Gareth Evans in complimenting you on the action you have taken.
The judgment and the subsequent conduct of the proceedings before Mr Justice Cantor also appear to indicate that evidence or documents given by a person to a parliamentary committee, including unpublished evidence given during in camera proceedings, may subsequently be used against that person through cross-examination in criminal proceedings in which that person is the defendant.
Senator Missen, as is his wont-I commend him for it-came to the aid of the underdog in this respect. Surely a person who has the guts to attend voluntarily a Senate committee to give evidence should not be put in jeopardy by finding that he has no protection before a court of law before which he might be a defendant. If Senator Missen says that that is the law and it should not be amended, I find myself totally at variance with his views. In conclusion, I repeat what was contained in my interjection on Senator Durack, to which he generously responded; that is, I hope there may be some way in which this matter can be referred to the Privileges Committee or some other committee in the meantime so the work can proceed within this Parliament to correct the kind of apprehension that you, Mr President, quite rightly and properly, on the advice of your Clerks, made in your report.