Two sets of independent legal advice have found that a statement made by Chris Minns in relation to historical allegations of sexual harassment in the NSW Parliament have disagreed with the Minns Labor Government’s argument that the statement cannot be provided to the Parliament because it is a Police document. Georgina Wright SC has recommended that the statement by Minns should be produced under the powers of the Legislative Council if it was not formally served on Jamie Clements as part of an apprehended violence order civil case, and Geoffrey Watson SC has recommended that the statement should be produced under the existing order for the statement to be produced to the Parliament.
In an answer to a question provided to the Parliament today, the Government has confirmed that “The limited documentary evidence available does not reveal whether a copy of this brief (statement) was served on Clements”.
Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson says “The Leader of the Government has refused to produce this statement made by Minns on multiple occasions, the legal basis for that refusal is now clearly in question by two independent Senior Counsels,”
“The Greens ensured independent legal advice on this issue was requested, in an effort to prevent the Leader of the Government from being repeatedly found in contempt of the Parliament. We now have two separate opinions that do not support the Government’s refusal to produce the Minns statement, as ordered by the Parliament,”
“When asked directly whether the Minns Statement was served on his friend Jamie Clements, the Minister for Police referred back to the Crown Solicitor’s advice which said ‘The limited documentary evidence available does not reveal whether a copy of this brief was served on Clements’ legal representatives’. The presumption must be made that this document is a document that must be produced to the Parliament as ordered,”
“The advice of Geoffrey Watson SC is very clear, this statement should be produced as ordered. It’s time the Minns Labor Government accepts the legal position and complies with the order of the Parliament. This is a document that a brave young woman is calling to be released and it goes directly to the character of the Premier of NSW,” Ms Higginson said.
