Call for disciplinary action against ALP frontbencher Norm Marlborough

7/8/94

Premier Richard Court today accused ALP frontbencher Norm Marlborough of prejudicing the process of the courts by his misuse of parliamentary privilege in making unfounded allegations about a person under trial.   He called on Opposition leader Ian Taylor now to severely discipline Mr Marlborough.

"The events of the last week have been the most disgraceful in State Parliament since the circumstances leading to the suicide of Penny Easton," he said.

Mr Court said Mr Marlborough had openly rejected calls by the police for him to provide them with information that might assist their inquires before making them public through Parliament.

"Mr Marlborough wants to turn Parliament House into a kangaroo court where he can become judge and jury on people and thereby defy the due process of law in this State," he said.

"Ian Taylor must now severely discipline Mr Marlborough for his assertion made last Friday to the media that he would continue to make allegations of criminal offences without taking them first to the police.

"The police are the proper authority to investigate any criminal activities and the courts determine if someone is guilty of a criminal offence, not Mr Marlborough or the ALP.

"We are given Parliamentary privilege so that we may tell what we know to be true without fear of being sued - not to allow us to peddle second-hand gossip as if it were the truth.  Mr Marlborough's behaviour is a disgrace and he has abused that privilege."

Mr Court said that not only should Mr Taylor severely discipline Mr Marlborough but he should also insist that all his members direct any information that might involve a criminal activity to the police.

"If Mr Marlborough had done this in the first place, the police would have been able to advise him that his allegations had already been investigated and were based on hearsay and innuendos," he said.

"Common decency also demands that Mr Taylor takes a firmer stand against Mr Marlborough.

"The widows of a number of deceased Wanneroo councillors were needlessly embroiled in this controversy and forced to relive the circumstances of their husbands' deaths.

"That was particularly disgraceful and Mr Taylor owes a public apology to all of the persons named by Mr Marlborough either directly or indirectly during his tirade in Parliament last week."