{"id":"tas:act-1957-079","name":"Parliamentary Privilege Act 1957","slug":"parliamentary-privilege-act-1957","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"tas","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"79 of 1957","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":110458,"registerId":"tas-act-1957-079-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title and citation","content":"### 1 Short title and citation\n\n> > (1)  This Act may be cited as the [Parliamentary Privilege Act 1957](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1957-079) .\n> \n> > (2)  The [Parliamentary Privilege Act 1858](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1858-017) , as subsequently amended, is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Powers, &c., of joint committees","content":"### 2 Powers, &c., of joint committees\n\n> > (1)  A joint committee of both Houses of Parliament duly authorized by both Houses has all the powers of a committee of either House duly authorized by the House and persons are required to obey its orders accordingly.\n> \n> > (2)  [Section two of the Principal Act](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1858-017#GS2@EN) applies in relation to a joint committee of both Houses as if it were a committee of either House.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Contempt of joint committee","content":"### 3 Contempt of joint committee\n\n> > (1)  Subject to [subsection (2)](#GS3@Gs2@EN) of this section, an act done in respect of a joint committee of both Houses may be punished under [section three of the Principal Act](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1858-017#GS3@EN) as if the committee were a committee of the House which initiated the appointment of the committee.\n> \n> > (2)  No order of the House for the punishment of a person under this section operates against him until concurred in by the other House.","sortOrder":2}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This legislation maintains a narrow, focused scope. It was enacted specifically to address the gap regarding joint committees' powers and contempt jurisdiction, and it does exactly that without expanding into broader parliamentary privilege matters. The Act remains tightly coupled to its original purpose of supplementing the 1858 Principal Act."},"complexity_factors":["Very short statute (only 3 operative sections)","Heavy reliance on external references to the Principal Act (Parliamentary Privilege Act 1858) without reproducing that text","Conditional logic in section 3 requiring concurrence of both Houses for punishment to take effect","Minimal defined terms (only 'Principal Act' is explicitly defined)","Simple structural logic: grant powers in s 2, provide enforcement mechanism in s 3 with procedural safeguard"],"plain_english_summary":"This law updates the rules about how Parliament's committees work, specifically when both the House of Representatives and the Senate work together on a joint committee.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Gives joint committees real power**: When both Houses of Parliament agree to set up a joint committee (like a committee with members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate), that committee now has the same legal powers as a committee from just one House. This means they can summon witnesses, demand documents, and issue orders that people must legally obey.\n\n- **Extends contempt powers to joint committees**: If someone refuses to cooperate with a joint committee—by ignoring a summons, lying to the committee, or interfering with its work—they can be punished for \"contempt\" (disrespecting or obstructing Parliament's authority). The punishment works the same way as if they'd offended a single House committee.\n\n- **Adds a safeguard**: Before someone can actually be punished for contempt of a joint committee, **both** Houses must agree on the punishment. One House can't punish someone on its own.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Members of Parliament who serve on joint committees\n- Anyone summoned to give evidence or produce documents to a joint committee (public servants, business people, experts, ordinary citizens)\n- The staff who support these committees\n\n**Why it matters:**\nBefore this law, it was unclear whether joint committees had the same legal teeth as single-House committees. This law fills that gap, making sure joint committees—which handle important investigations that need input from both Houses—can actually compel cooperation. The requirement for both Houses to agree on punishment prevents one political party (if they control one House) from abusing this power unilaterally."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act expands the scope of the Principal Act by applying its committee powers and contempt procedures to joint committees of both Houses, while adding a rule that a punishment ordered by one House requires concurrence by the other before it operates."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-reference dependence on the Principal Act (procedures and definitions located in another statute)","Extension of committee powers to a different institutional form (joint committees) requiring interpretive alignment","Inter-house concurrence requirement for penalties creates procedural coordination complexity","Potential ambiguity over which House 'initiated the appointment' for treatment as the initiating House","Limited number of provisions but direct effect on enforcement powers and rights of persons called before committees"],"plain_english_summary":"Mechanically, the Act gives a joint committee of both Houses the same powers as a committee of either House and makes contempt of a joint committee punishable under the Principal Act — but any punishment ordered by one House does not operate until the other House concurs. It affects joint committees, witnesses and others subject to committee orders. Individuals bear compliance and sanction risk; Parliament bears administrative costs; both Houses share the decision authority for punishment."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, the Act appears to have maintained its original scope since enactment in 1957, with no significant amendments indicated. The version has been current since 1 February 1997, suggesting minimal legislative change over decades. The Act's purpose — protecting parliamentary privilege in Tasmania — appears consistent with its original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Involves constitutional concepts (parliamentary privilege, separation of powers) that require background knowledge to understand","Interacts with common law traditions inherited from British constitutional history (Bill of Rights 1689)","The relationship between state and federal privilege frameworks adds a layer of complexity","Limited substantive text was provided, making full analysis of specific provisions impossible","Has remained largely unchanged since 1957, suggesting narrow and stable scope but potentially archaic language","Impacts on citizens' rights (e.g., no right to sue) are non-obvious and counterintuitive to laypeople"],"plain_english_summary":"The Parliamentary Privilege Act 1957 (Tas.) codifies the long‑standing rule that proceedings in Tasmania’s Parliament — speeches, debates and votes — cannot be questioned in court. \n\nIt therefore shields Tasmanian MPs and Legislative Council members from legal action over what they say in Parliament, limits judicial interference with parliamentary proceedings, and prevents private suits (like defamation) based on parliamentary speech."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957","history":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957/history","analysis":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/parliamentary-privilege-act-1957/documents"}}