Dural caravan inquiry committee explore arrest warrants for NSW staffers over failure to give evidence
The five staffers asked to be excused from Friday's hearing in a letter, after being summonsed to give evidence about what and when the state government knew about the plot, after the caravan was found laden with explosives in January amid a spate of antisemitic vandalism.
The ABC understands the committee will go to the president of the Legislative Council Ben Franklin to ask if he could request arrest warrants in the NSW Supreme Court.
NSW Premier Minns had flagged the staffers — some of who worked for him — would not give evidence on Thursday, calling the inquiry into what the state government did or did not know about the alleged plot a "star chamber".
At the state parliament's Macquarie Room on Friday morning, committee members waited to see if the five staffers would turn up, with their empty chairs carefully labelled.
Inquiry chair and independent MP Rod Roberts said he was disappointed the witnesses had not turned up, describing it as a "very serious matter" and saying further action will be considered.
"I am disappointed in the government's continued efforts to hinder and frustrate the work of this committee and ultimately the role of the legislative council to scrutinise the actions of government."
Mr Roberts concluded the hearing with a short statement about the intention behind the staffers being summonsed to appear.
"This committee was established to determine whether members of parliament debated and passed hate speech and protest laws through parliament based on misleading or incomplete information."
During the committee, Mr Roberts revealed a letter dated June 19 undersigned by staffers and asking to be excused from appearing was received on Thursday.
In the letter, the staffers said their giving evidence before the select committee would "be at odds with the principles of ministerial accountability and comity between the House of Parliament".
The letter also stated that a separate parliamentary inquiry could also consider the compulsion of ministerial staff to give evidence, suggesting it infringed parliamentary privileged "or otherwise offends principles of our Westminster system of government".
The letter ends with the request to be excused from the hearing.
Mr Roberts told the hearing he objected to the arguments made in the letter.
"It is a fundamental role of the Upper House to hold the government of the day to account."
Before concluding the hearing, Mr Roberts said the witnesses scheduled to appear had failed to comply with the summons.
The committee is believed to be considering its next step.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
13 minutes ago
- ABC News
Businesses want electrification costs covered as Solstice Energy shuts gas network
The Victorian government is being urged to subsidise regional Victorians who must convert their homes and businesses to bottled gas or electricity, after a major retailer's surprise decision to cut compressed gas supply next year. Solstice Energy announced it would switch off compressed gas networks and stop trucking gas into 10 regional Victorian towns by the end of next year. More than 1,100 households at Heathcote, Maldon, Marong, Swan Hill, Kerang, Nathalia, Robinvale, Terang, Lakes Entrance and Orbost will be affected. John Maynard and his wife Janelle run a cafe and events venue at Nathalia in northern Victoria and last year spent $40,000 installing natural gas during a renovation. He said his business relied on gas for heating, cooking and hot water. Mr Maynard heard about the Solstice gas switch-off after the ABC contacted him last week. "If I've got to put electricity in, I've got to then spend probably another $20,000, plus to get my whole wall pulled out and put electricity into my wall, which I don't have at the moment to do," he said. Mr Maynard said he also worried that if he switched to bottle gas, it might run out during a large function. "We'd be in a lot of trouble," he said. Solstice Energy said it would support every household and business affected by the gas cuts, providing $1,000 up-front payments, gas appliance subsidies, and support to switch to bottled gas. Those who opt to convert their homes to electricity are advised to apply for Victorian government rebates. A Victorian government spokesperson said it was providing up to thousands of dollars in discounts for electric appliances through the Solar Homes and Victorian Energy Upgrades programs. But Mr Maynard said that was not enough. "A lot of small restaurants and businesses around the area are struggling as it is and we need any help we can get," he said. Mr Maynard said he was already paying $1,500 to $3,000 a month on gas and he would lose money by closing his business to complete works for the transition. "We'd have to be shut down for I reckon two or three weeks just to change everything over," he said. The Victorian government launched the gas substitution road map in 2022 to drive down gas usage across the state. Victoria Energy Policy Centre head Professor Bruce Mountain said it represented a drastic change in direction, given previous Victorian government policy encouraged households to use gas. "Households have invested. As a consequence, they have been locked into those choices," he said. Professor Mountain said he believed Victorians should consider switching away from natural gas, as more suppliers could begin turning off supply. St Vincent de Paul national energy director Gavin Dufty said the gas cuts in regional Victoria had been poorly planned. "The lack of coordination between Solstice and the Victorian government to provide long-term, fit-for-purpose solutions for these communities is a glaring, glaring omission," he said. "You've got these two different options to go to LPG — back to the future — or electrify. "The big issue here is, they're only giving people a year and a half to make what is quite a huge decision for these households. "In the next 20 years, we may see more gas cuts, depending on the size of the communities on the reticulated gas network and government policy. "If you're on the gas network at the moment, when your appliance fails and all that, do consider alternatives." Solstice Energy chief executive Phaedra Deckart said switching from piped gas to bottled gas or electricity would be "better for customers in the long run". "The basis upon which the network was built assumed a much larger demand and a much greater number of customers," she said. Solstice Energy announced a 50 per cent price increase to the 10 impacted towns last Monday. Customers had already been hit with an 80 per cent increase in January 2023. Ms Deckart said Solstice would need to continue raising prices every year for its compressed gas service to remain viable.
News.com.au
13 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Man arrested after police firearm discharged inside Sydney Airport terminal
A man has been arrested after a police firearm was discharged during a dramatic confrontation at Sydney Airport. Australian Federal Police have confirmed the man was arrested on Wednesday morning. 'An investigation into the incident has been launched and a crime scene has been established,' police said in a statement. 'There were no injuries as a result of the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. 'Further comment will be provided at an appropriate time.' A spokesperson for Sydney Airport media earlier confirmed an altercation had taken place at a domestic terminal of the Mascot airport on Wednesday morning. 'Sydney Airport is currently assisting Australian Federal Police following an incident earlier this morning,' a statement read. 'No injuries occurred as a result of the incident. 'An arrest has been made and the airport is operating normally.' It has been reported the incident sent part of the terminal into lockdown, according to 2GB's Ben Fordham. Video obtained by 2GB showed a man pinned to floor by at least two other men, with a AFP officer brandishing a rifle kneeling on the floor next to the group. The lockdown had reportedly since been lifted. Sydney Airport did not report any flight disruptions, with domestic arrivals and departures running to schedule.
ABC News
43 minutes ago
- ABC News
Police firearm discharged at Sydney Airport during arrest
An operation is underway at Sydney Airport after a firearm was discharged as federal police officers attempted to arrest a man inside a domestic terminal. A crime scene has been sectioned off in the T2 terminal. The ABC understands the man was being detained by officers in a struggle when the police gun was fired. In a statement, Sydney Airport said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police following the incident. "No injuries occurred as a result of the incident. An arrest has been made and the airport is operating normally," a spokesperson said.
