Summary heading

A13722

Function and purpose

On 28 February 1978, the House of Representatives referred to the Privileges Committee, for report and inquiry, the matter of an editorial published in the Sunday Observer of 26 February 1978 under the heading ‘Political bludgers’, written by Mr Alan Armsden.  The referral was raised by Mr Yates, M.P.

The Committee conducting the inquiry consisted of Hon. L F  Bowen, Hon. C R Cameron, Mr D M Cameron (Chairman), Mr B W Graham, Mr M Hodgman, Mr R Jacobi, Mr A W Jarman, Mr P E Lucock and Mr G G Scholes.  Clerk of the Committee was M L Barlin.

The Committee met on 2, 9, 14 and 16 March and 5 April 1978.  At these meetings the Committee called upon and examined two witnesses:  Mr Peter Isaacson, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Peter Isaacson Publications Pty Ltd (owners and publishers of the Sunday Observer), and Mr Alan Leonard Armsden, Editor of the Sunday Observer at the time.  The allegations contained in the editorial were examined by the Committee who were satisfied that they were without foundation and that the article breached parliamentary privilege.

The Committee found that :-

(a)    That publication of the editorial in the Sunday Observer of 26 February 1978, in having reflected upon Members of the House of Representatives in their capacity as such, constituted a contempt of the House of Representatives, and

(b)   That Mr Peter Stuart Isaacson, Manager and Editor-in-Chief, Peter Isaacson Publications Pty Ltd, and Mr Alan Leonard Armsden, Editor of the Sunday Observer at the time of publication of the editorial, are both guilty of contempt of the House of Representatives.

Mr Armsden was dismissed from his position as the Editor of the Sunday Observer on 15 March 1978 and his employment with Peter Isaacson Publications Pty Ltd ceased.

Mr Isaacson undertook to publish an apology which was featured in the Sunday Observer, 19 March 1978.

The Series A13722 comprises of 12 items including copies of the newspaper, the Sunday Observer.

Sources

Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Report relating to an editorial published in the ‘Sunday Observer’ of 26 February 1978: together with Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee.

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As at November 2008, the items in the custody of the National Archives of Australia have been entered onto RecordSearch.

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