‘Not a good look’: witnesses refuse to appear before NSW parliamentary hearings after court ruling
Summary
Witnesses in New South Wales are refusing to appear before parliamentary hearings after a court ruled that arrest warrants for non-compliance in such inquiries were invalid. This ruling is affecting public investigations and limiting parliament’s ability to gather information.Key Facts
- The NSW court of appeal found certain parts of the Parliamentary Evidence Act invalid because they affected the court’s integrity.
- These parts allowed for arrest warrants to compel witnesses to attend parliamentary inquiries.
- The ruling came after James Cullen, chief of staff to Premier Chris Minns, challenged being forced to testify about leaked confidential information.
- Some parliamentary staff have refused to appear in hearings after this ruling, impacting investigations.
- The high court has agreed to hear an appeal on this issue, but the case will not be heard until September.
- Public integrity experts say the inability to compel evidence harms the democratic process and public interest inquiries.
- Several witnesses, including staff from the Director of Public Prosecutions’ office, have declined to testify citing the court ruling.
- The loss of these parliamentary powers is causing delays and difficulties in ongoing investigations.
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