Thread: Craig Thomson

Originally Posted by ugu80

Lying to parliament is not a crime. There is no charge.

But they can put him in gaol for it.

Originally Posted by d2dave

I agree with the above, but he only got three months.

He got 12 months, but nine of that was suspended for two years, as I understand it.

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Originally Posted by ugu80

Lying to parliament is not a crime. There is no charge.

No charge? Yep, they do it for free!

Bugger my English!! I was under the impression that NOT Lying to parliament was crime.

Originally Posted by ugu80

Lying to parliament is not a crime. There is no charge.

Misleading the House is a "Contempt of Parliament". but I don't know what are the penalties for a sitting member found guilty of contempt.

He probably has to go to the Parliamentary sauna or gymnasium for half an hour, you or I would probably be sent to gaol for 10 years!

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Misleading the House is a "Contempt of Parliament". but I don't know what are the penalties for a sitting member found guilty of contempt.

He probably has to go to the Parliamentary sauna or gymnasium for half an hour, you or I would probably be sent to gaol for 10 years!

Contempt of Parliament is not dealt with by the courts as us mere mortals would be dealt with but by Parliament itself, both Senate and House of Reps can institute proceedings individually. What constitutes contempt is entirely at the discretion of the vote of the MPs.

From Fed. Parliament website:

"Each house of the Parliament possesses the power to declare an act to be a contempt and to punish such an act, even when there is no precedent for such an act being so judged and punished. This power to deal with contempts is the exact equivalent of the power of the courts to punish contempts of court.

The punishments for contempts which either house may apply are set by the 1987 Act as fines of $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations, and up to six months imprisonment for individuals."

I think imprisonment would mean the loss of your seat in parliament.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I think imprisonment would mean the loss of your seat in parliament.

Under the Australian Constitution a member of parliament is disqualified if they have been convicted and is under sentence or subject to be sentenced for an offence punishable by imprisonment for one year or longer under a State or Commonwealth law. Note, not the actual sentence but the maximum sentence the particular law statutorily states as punishment.