Speaker Joy Burch is considering whether an investigation should consider if serious allegations made against a former Greens member of the Assembly were handled appropriately.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Ms Burch said some of the matters related to the handling of the allegations made against Johnathan Davis, who resigned late on Sunday night, had caused her concern.
The Speaker said she had taken an interest in what information had been provided to Greens leader Shane Rattenbury's office and Mr Rattenbury's public statements about his own internal investigation.
"I have no line of sight what that was, how appropriate it was and if indeed it was appropriate for the matters claimed at the time," Ms Murch said.
Ms Burch said she was concerned about the handling of allegations, mandatory reporting responsibilities and how people were alerted to concerns about inappropriate behaviour.
"I still have many a question that need to be answered and it's only when I start to put those questions forward and get information back can I be clearer about what steps I would have as speaker moving forward," Ms Burch told an inquiry into annual reports on Monday morning.
"I will be seeking information, I'll be getting advice and then that will determine where I go from here," she said.
Ms Burch noted it was open to any member of the Assembly to make a referral to its standards commissioner, Kenneth Crispin KC.
The Speaker said she had first found out about the allegations from reporting in The Canberra Times.
"I personally became aware of the resignation - I was alerted to an announcement - but I found out about it in The Canberra Times. A letter subsequently came to me quite late in the evening last night," she said.
"My source of information has been The Canberra Times in its limited capacity. I find that - I won't make a comment about how I find that, but it's not overly useful."
Mr Davis formally resigned from the Legislative Assembly and his party on Sunday night, two days after The Canberra Times revealed he had been stood down indefinitely by his party after allegations he had sex with a minor and an inappropriate, but not illegal, relationship with a 17-year-old.
ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals have both expressed concern in the Greens' handling of the allegations.
READ MORE:
- Independent investigation needed to examine Greens' handling of Davis allegations: Elizabeth Lee
- Deputy Chief Minister criticises Greens' handling of Davis allegations
- Greens' Johnathan Davis resigns from Legislative Assembly
- Davis 'pressured' teen to keep relationship quiet
- Johnathan Davis stood down 'indefinitely' by Greens
- Analysis: Grave surprise of Davis allegations has serious implications
- Johnathan Davis should resign from Assembly: Chief Minister
- Greens MLA investigated over teen sex allegations
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
