Energy Minister Angus Taylor won't be referred to the Privileges Committee over misleading the House of Representatives, Speaker Tony Smith said on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Taylor has been under pressure since it was revealed a letter he had written to Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore over council travel figures was actually based on doctored documents with incorrect figures.
It is unclear how the incorrect figures that were falsely attributed to the Sydney City Council's annual report were created, but the matter has been referred to the Australian Federal Police.
On the final sitting day of 2019, Labor's manager of opposition business Tony Burke accused Mr Taylor of misleading the House by saying the figures had come from the City of Sydney's website. Mr Burke said there was a prima facie (at first view) case and the matter should be referred to the Privileges Committee.
Mr Burke accused the minister of repeatedly and repeatedly misleading the House, but on Wednesday Speaker Tony Smith said there wasn't a case to answer.
Mr Smith said "I understand that this matter is surrounded by differing views" and that deliberately misleading the house was a serious matter.
But he said prima facie case had not been made with detail required that the statement was misleading and the member knew at the time it was incorrect.