Labor members of the ACT Assembly have been forced to withdraw claims that Liberal Leader Jeremy Hanson engaged in bullying during parliamentary committee hearings.
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Mr Hanson is chair of the Assembly’s estimates committee, which held an inquiry into the 2013-14 budget bills.
In a dissenting report issued last week, Labor committee members Chris Bourke and Mick Gentleman attacked Mr Hanson’s handling of the inquiry.
“Dr Chris Bourke and Mr Mick Gentleman were appalled at the process the Estimates Committee had been put through by the chair, including directions of the chair, bullying, and failing to promote a collaborative approach to the preparation of the final report contrary to Parliamentary conventions,’’ they wrote in their dissenting report.
But Speaker Vicki Dunne on Tuesday directed Dr Bourke and Mr Gentleman to withdraw the bullying allegation.
“I believe consistent with previous rulings that to call a member a bully, even though the device of a dissenting report is unparliamentary,’’ Mrs Dunne told the Assembly.
Treasurer Andrew Barr, who referred to the allegation during a speech to the Assembly, was also required to formally withdraw it.
Mr Hanson had defended his actions as committee chair.
“I make no apologies for asking hard questions or being demanding of both minister and their officials because that’s my job,’’ he told the Assembly.
Mr Hanson compared his actions to those of legendary Labor Senate estimates inquisitor John Faulkner, who has terrified generations of senior federal public servants at committee hearings.
But Mr Barr interjected: “You’re no John Faulkner.’’
