Prime Minister Julia Gillard is rushed out of the Lobby restaurant on Survival Day. Aboriginal activist Michael Anderson is pushed against the stair railing.
NATIONAL: The Australian Federal Police(AFP) have referred the opposition’s request for an investigation into the protests on Survival Day to a special evaluation group.
Coalition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis on Monday wrote to the AFP asking it to investigate the chain of events leading up to a protest by Aboriginal Tent Embassy supporters that resulted in Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott being rushed from a Canberra restaurant.
One of Ms Gillard’s staffers, Tony Hodges, has already resigned over the affair, after passing on information that Mr Abbott was nearby to a third party, who relayed it to embassy organisers.
But the opposition said a “thorough” inquiry was warranted given the seriousness of the breach to the Ms Gillard’s personal security and the involvement a member of her office.
“We are suspicious of a cover-up,” Senator Brandis told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
AFP Commissioner Tony Negus later responded to the senator saying the matter had been referred to the crimes operations special references portfolio for evaluation.
Senator Brandis said the most important question was why the security breach happened at all.
“Given the gravity of the security breach … I am requesting, on behalf of the opposition, that you initiate a full investigation of the breach, the circumstances leading to it, and the conduct of those involved immediately following the incident,” he wrote in his letter.
As the AFP evaluation got underway, key independent MPs were mostly wary about the opposition moving a motion to suspend standing orders and debate the matter in the parliament when MPs return to Canberra next week.
A suspension motion would be the first step in moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
Independent Andrew Wilkie said he would probably support the initial motion because there were many unanswered questions about the “appalling” event on Australia Day.
“I find it almost inconceivable that the prime minister’s media adviser acted independently,” he said.
But fellow independent Tony Windsor said while Mr Hodges may have done a “stupid thing”, any further action should be left to the police, not politicians.
“Someone telling someone that someone is going to be somewhere – in a democracy I wouldn’t have thought it was the greatest hanging offence of the day,” Mr Windsor said.
“It will embarrass the government and then be gone in a hurry.”
Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent Rob Oakeshott also would not support the coalition’s bid to censure the government over the events.
According to Ms Gillard’s account, Mr Hodges told Unions ACT secretary Kim Sattler that Mr Abbott was at the Lobby restaurant and this was passed on to embassy organisers, who wrongly thought Mr Abbott had called for the embassy to be torn down.
But Senator Brandis said police should also look at whether Mr Hodges acted alone or if other members of the prime minister’s staff or the prime minister herself were aware of his actions.
Senator Brandis said it appeared neither Mr Hodges nor Ms Sattler had been interviewed by police.
“Until we know that, it is not possible for anyone to conclude either that there was no incitement or that Mr Hodges was not involved in a censurable breach of the prime minister’s security,” he said.
The Queensland senator said the issue would be pursued in the upcoming Senate estimates hearings, but under Senate rules prime ministerial staff could not be called to give evidence.
AAP
Oppn calls on AFP to probe protests
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is rushed out of the Lobby restaurant on Survival Day. Aboriginal activist Michael Anderson is pushed against the stair railing.
NATIONAL: The Australian Federal Police(AFP) have referred the opposition’s request for an investigation into the protests on Survival Day to a special evaluation group.
Coalition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis on Monday wrote to the AFP asking it to investigate the chain of events leading up to a protest by Aboriginal Tent Embassy supporters that resulted in Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott being rushed from a Canberra restaurant.
One of Ms Gillard’s staffers, Tony Hodges, has already resigned over the affair, after passing on information that Mr Abbott was nearby to a third party, who relayed it to embassy organisers.
But the opposition said a “thorough” inquiry was warranted given the seriousness of the breach to the Ms Gillard’s personal security and the involvement a member of her office.
“We are suspicious of a cover-up,” Senator Brandis told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
AFP Commissioner Tony Negus later responded to the senator saying the matter had been referred to the crimes operations special references portfolio for evaluation.
Senator Brandis said the most important question was why the security breach happened at all.
“Given the gravity of the security breach … I am requesting, on behalf of the opposition, that you initiate a full investigation of the breach, the circumstances leading to it, and the conduct of those involved immediately following the incident,” he wrote in his letter.
As the AFP evaluation got underway, key independent MPs were mostly wary about the opposition moving a motion to suspend standing orders and debate the matter in the parliament when MPs return to Canberra next week.
A suspension motion would be the first step in moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
Independent Andrew Wilkie said he would probably support the initial motion because there were many unanswered questions about the “appalling” event on Australia Day.
“I find it almost inconceivable that the prime minister’s media adviser acted independently,” he said.
But fellow independent Tony Windsor said while Mr Hodges may have done a “stupid thing”, any further action should be left to the police, not politicians.
“Someone telling someone that someone is going to be somewhere – in a democracy I wouldn’t have thought it was the greatest hanging offence of the day,” Mr Windsor said.
“It will embarrass the government and then be gone in a hurry.”
Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent Rob Oakeshott also would not support the coalition’s bid to censure the government over the events.
According to Ms Gillard’s account, Mr Hodges told Unions ACT secretary Kim Sattler that Mr Abbott was at the Lobby restaurant and this was passed on to embassy organisers, who wrongly thought Mr Abbott had called for the embassy to be torn down.
But Senator Brandis said police should also look at whether Mr Hodges acted alone or if other members of the prime minister’s staff or the prime minister herself were aware of his actions.
Senator Brandis said it appeared neither Mr Hodges nor Ms Sattler had been interviewed by police.
“Until we know that, it is not possible for anyone to conclude either that there was no incitement or that Mr Hodges was not involved in a censurable breach of the prime minister’s security,” he said.
The Queensland senator said the issue would be pursued in the upcoming Senate estimates hearings, but under Senate rules prime ministerial staff could not be called to give evidence.
AAP
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