Statement regarding Privileges Committee Findings

Fairfax Media takes some comfort from the finding of parliament's Privileges Committee, according to its group editor John Crowley.

“The committee found that the release of confidential information relating to the work and movement of one of our senior parliamentary journalists, simply going about her job, was unacceptable.

“We have known that from the outset,” said Mr Crowley.

“The rights of our reporter Andrea Vance and the important role journalists play in a democracy were trampled over,'' he said.

“There is no way records relating to her emails, phone calls or access to her work place should ever have been released to the Henry inquiry.

“The release of this information came only after intense pressure from an inquiry which circumvented the rules and operated with not nearly enough oversight.

“It is astonishing that the Speaker of the House, David Carter, the Minister responsible for the Parliamentary Service which effectively held the information, was not consulted or even informed about its release.

“The access that was provided to information belonging to both Andrea Vance and United Future leader Peter Dunne simply should never have been provided,'' Mr Crowley said.

“Now we wait for the committee to do what it has promised to do – to address fundamental flaws – and to make sure this can't happen again.''

“There must be some clearly understood systems and processes established – there have to be some lessons from all of this.''

ENDS

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