Liberal MLA Mark Parton apologises for KFC TikTok video

But the video is likely to prompt a review of the Assembly's broadcasting guidelines, as it emerged that other MLAs have been forced to remove videos of footage from the chamber.

All MLAs have been cautioned to be mindful of the Assembly's broadcasting guidelines, which say use footage that shows only "fair and accurate" reports of proceedings.

Mr Parton was investigated by the Legislative Assembly's Commissioner for Standards after the matter was referred by Labor backbencher Suzanne Orr.

In the video, published in June, Mr Parton used footage from the Assembly when he was in the role of deputy speaker. In the video he said: "members I understand that is the wish of the Assembly to suspend for lunch. That being the case the chair will be resumed at 2pm."

The Tiktok then switches to Mr Parton in his office eating KFC, with music that often plays in commercials from the fast food chain.

Ms Orr alleged the TikTok promoted a commercial product and compromised the credibility of the deputy speaker role.

The Assembly's administration and procedure committee recommended Mr Parton apologise for the video, which he did on Thursday morning.

"As is the wish of Speaker and the admin and procedure committee that I apologise here in the chamber following the findings of the Standards Commissioner and the report table today," Mr Parton said.

"I apologise for being found to have breached the standards and as a consequence the code of conduct. It is an unconditional apology from me."

The commissioner found Mr Parton did not breach any guidelines around promoting a commercial product. The commissioner found Mr Parton "clearly misunderstood" the guideline.

The committee also recommended that other members needed to familiarise themselves with broadcasting guidelines and that a review of the guidelines was needed.

"The committee also noted that the Speaker had written to a number of MLAs regarding breaches of the broadcasting guidelines and requested the offending social media posts be removed," the report said.

"This led to discussion on the scope of the current guidelines and consideration if the guidelines have sufficient clarity for the evolving use of social media."

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Mr Parton told the Assembly he believed this finding showed other MLAs could be also be referred to the standards commissioner.

"At various points during this process the commissioner has also alluded to the fact there may well be grounds to refer some other MLAs on this issue," he said.

"At this stage we won't be referring those other MLAs because we think that they have much more important things to spend their time on, but we reserve the right to refer them at a later date."

Mr Parton welcomed a review of the guidelines.

"I welcome this report. I genuinely welcomed it because I think it marks potentially a turning point regarding a review of our broadcasting guidelines," he said.

"I live in the hope that at the end of it, we as MLAs will be able to share with more Canberrans actual footage of what we do here in the chamber."

This is not the first time Mr Parton has faced trouble due to TikTok. Earlier this year, he was forced to refer himself to police over a video where he was livestreaming himself while driving.

He was also reprimanded by Speaker Joy Burch over TikTok videos suggesting she was "destroying democracy".

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