5 Aug 2013

'Overzealous' inquiry led to privacy breach: Dunne

9:41 am on 5 August 2013

Independent MP Peter Dunne says a gung ho, overzealous inquiry and a spooked Parliamentary Service led to breaches of his privacy and the disclosure of his emails.

Mr Dunne is seeking legal advice over the release and then recall by the Parliamentary Service of his emails to the Fairfax reporter, Andrea Vance, as part of an inquiry investigating the leak of a report on the state spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Mr Dunne told Morning Report no approval had been sought from him before the emails were handed over.

Peter Dunne says he is still taking advice on whether he will appear in front of Parliament's Privileges Committee due to discuss the issue in about two weeks.

Fairfax Media says it will this week lodge a privacy complaint over the release of the emails.

The Speaker, David Carter, was earlier forced to apologise to Ms Vance after Parliamentary Service mistakenly handed over her internal phone records to the inquiry.

It also emerged her parliamentary swipe card history was released to the inquiry.

Fairfax Media group executive editor Paul Thompson, says although the Parliamentary Service is not subject to the Privacy Act, a complaint will be laid against the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, as well as the Prime Minister's Office.

He says the privacy complaint covers emails, phone calls and swipe-card logs.