ANOTHER SENSATION

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1948, Page 5

ANOTHER SENSATION

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Cestapo Tactics Alleged In Australian Parliament

Copyrigfrt)

Received Thursday, ,9.50 p:m. • - CANBERRA, Oct. 7. Two ■ Commonwealth investigation officers this aftemoon entered v Pai*.liament House, went to the office of . Mr. Haddon; Leader of the Country . Party, aad sought to interrogate hira on the allegedly secret document producod by him in Parliament last week, The doenment purported to .be a report of a meeting of the British Ca'binet attended by Mr. Chifley at No. 3.0 Downing Street, at which referenee was allegedly made to the reluctanee of tho United States authorities to ( entrust lop defence secrets .to Australia, Mr. Fadden immediately summoaed Canberra political eorrespondents to his room. The police and Mr. Fadden were arguing heatedly when the press representatives arriyed whereupon the police refused'to continue the interrogation. Later in the House, Mr. " Fadden claimed it was a breach. of privilege that he should be interviewed by the police in the preeincts of the House. The Aeting Speaker, Mr. Olark, ruied that no clairn of breach of - privilege could be sustained because of Mr. Fadden ;s right to take his plaee in Parliament, The motion was placed -on the notice paper as an ordinary motion, which means that it will not be debated until Government business is disposed of. The matter ended in confusion with Opposition members taking points of order which were disregarded by Mr. Clark. He accepted a motion of dis-' sent from his ruling which he said would also be placed on the business Daner.

Seeing the press representatives > in Mr. Fadden 's offiee, one detective said to Mr. Fadden: "Our business with you is really of a private character. Are these gentlemen newspaper representa tives?" Mr. Fadden replied: "Yes, certainly, but go right ahead." * v When the detective said, it was a matter of confidential inquiries, Mr. Fadden retorted: "It is not confidential as far as I am coneerned. It is public." '■ The detective replied that they- were not permitted to discuss inquiries in public and that he would have to consult the appropriate authorities. The detectives then left. When asked by press representatives whether he had given the police permission to enter the building, the Aeting Speaker, M^ Clark, answered: " I reply to all questions in Parliament, not;to the press." Later in the House of . Representatives, Mr. Fadden moved: ^ "It is a breach of privilege thaf I should be interrogatpd or sought to be interrogated by security police at the instigation of the Prime Minister and Government, in the precicts of this House, in respeet of matters occurring or arising from the discharge of my public duties in the national Parliament." "Just prior to the resumption of the sittings of this Parliament," he said, "I was seen in my room by two detective inspectors of the security police in respeet to matters which were brought up by me in the course of a public debate, in this Parliament, That 1 should be interviewed by them in the preeincts of Parliament is itself a gross abuse of privilege. That this should take plaee at the direction.of the Prime Minister of this country — because it ls clear from his speeches that they are aeting under his or the Government 's instructions — makes the oft'ence a graver one. But the supreme gravity is thaf by this method it is sought to iniimidate not only myself but also all other members of the Opposition, to stifle criticism by those members in the discharge of their public duties. Nomore serious matter could possibly arise in a democratie Parliament than this gross invasion of the rights of a member. When the security police saw me they sought to have what they termed a confidential interview with. me. 1 immediately made it plain they would have no such interview in respeet of a public matter and that if they had anything to say they could. say it in the presenee of the so far free press of this country. . I sav so far free advisedly, having regard to what has happened today. "No member of this Parliament who has i any sense of responsihijity, could aispute the lact that there comes to each man in public life frequently matters which are held to be confidential. The supreme judgpient which jnust be made by every member on these matters, is when the public interest is so compelling as to override the necessity of continuing to treat these matters as confidential. The debate wherein I ref erred to certain confidential ini'ormatipn which had come to me, was an occasipn when my public duty compelled me to direet the attention of the Austrhlian public to what I considered was a vital issue affecting the country. I desire to make it plain to the Prime Minister and community in general, that no m&tter what the conseauences are, I. shail not he interrogated by any seeret gestapo of this Government. The Prime Minister must t.ake the responsihility for the serious invasion he has made into the principle of freedom of speeeh of members of this Parliament. The people will judge whether the Labour Party. is not already far along the road "which leads to gestapo intimidation," fear and all the other handmaidens which accompany extrepie dictaforship in all parts of the world."

Mr. Fadden told pressmen earlier today that he suspected that his phone ; calls were being tapped. Some eorrespondents believe that the security service has been told to regard Mr. Fadden as .a private citizen and mot as a member of Parliament and that the: Government i.s justifying its action by piting the case of a Canadian member of Parliament, Mr. Fred Rose, who w.as! spied upon for months before dis- j elo.sures were made about a Canadian j ring.