CHAMBER FILMING

The Hon. M. PARNELL (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the President regarding rules covering filming in the chamber.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M. PARNELL: Mr President, in your comments to the council on Tuesday concerning filming and photography of proceedings, you stated that:

It is not my intention to alter the current guidelines or practices or to allow the media to have access for filming beyond the public gallery.

Mr President, you also stated that:

I would not do so without canvassing the views of all members of this council.

Following your statement, I wrote to you yesterday requesting the opportunity for members to canvass this issue in a meeting with a view to ascertaining the relevance and desirability of maintaining current filming guidelines and practices and other issues relevant to the reporting of parliament. Sir, my questions to you are:

1. Have you had the opportunity to consider this request?

2. If so, would you consider convening such a meeting as President?

3. When do you think this could happen?

The PRESIDENT (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his question, and I also take this opportunity to thank all members of the Legislative Council who have expressed their support publicly and privately. As I stated on Tuesday in this place, apart from anything else, I would not change the practices of this council without canvassing the views of all members of this council. To date, I have received a letter from you, the Hon. Mr Parnell, requesting that I convene a meeting, to which I will give due consideration.

Again, I invite honourable members to make their views known to me. However, I reiterate that our existing practice is consistent with most other Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions. I remind honourable members that the issues involve our chamber and the rules do not suppress filming or reporting of the debate. Filming is permitted from the public gallery, with The Advertiser print media having their specifically designated place in the north-western press gallery and the ABC a place in the north-eastern gallery.

The proceedings of the council are streamed online, Hansard is available and members of the public are more than welcome to take a place in the public gallery and see their upper house in operation. It should be incumbent on all honourable members to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Legislative Council, and I remind members again that the Legislative Council is an independent and sovereign house of the Parliament of South Australia and will determine its own procedures.