Penny Sharpe and John Graham Suspended by NSW Upper House
Sydney – The leader and deputy leader of the New South Wales government in the Legislative Council have been suspended for refusing to comply with orders to produce documents, escalating tensions over parliamentary transparency and executive privilege.
Penny Sharpe was suspended for two weeks on May 7 after she withheld a statement Premier Chris Minns gave to police regarding a historical sexual assault allegation against a Labor official.
John Graham was suspended on May 9 for failing to release a report by former judge John Sackar on hate speech legislation.
"The government cited legal advice and cabinet confidentiality as reasons for nondisclosure."
Liberal MLC Susan Carter criticized the use of "cabinet document" as a pretext for secrecy.
In response, Government Leader of the House Ron Hoenig stated that the Minns government is transparent and that the cabinet is still considering the Sackar report. Former Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy KC doubted that cabinet confidentiality applied to the Sackar report.
Political Implications
The suspensions reduce Labor's voting power in the upper house to match the Coalition's, requiring more conservative crossbench support to pass legislation.
Broader Context
Separately, a dispute over parliamentary powers to compel witnesses is before the High Court, following a December Court of Appeal ruling that parts of the Parliamentary Evidence Act 1901 are invalid.