22.2 Contempt

Contempt is conduct (including the use of words) that constitutes an offence against the Legislative Assembly, or is intended or likely to amount to an improper interference with the exercise by the House or committee of its authority or functions, or with the free performance by a Member of the Member's duties as a Member.

Every breach of privilege is strictly speaking a contempt of Parliament - although many such breaches are not reported to or actioned by the House. However, the term "contempt of Parliament" is much wider because it includes any offence against the dignity of the House or interference with its process where no established privilege has previously existed.

Whilst the very nature of the offence of contempt means that all contempts may not be definitively listed, matters found by the House of Commons to be a contempt include:

• misconduct in the presence of the House or its committees;
• interrupting or disturbing the proceedings of the House or a committee;
• a witness persistently misleading a committee;
• acting in a riotous, tumultuous or disorderly manner in order to hinder or promote legislation;
• disobedience to rules or orders of the House or committees (including refusal to attend as a witness, be sworn, answer questions or produce evidence);
• destruction of evidence;
• refusing an order to withdraw from the House;
• presenting a forged or falsified document to the House or a committee;
• abusing the right to petition by submitting a petition which contains false, scandalous or groundless allegations or inducing persons by fraud to sign a petition;
• deliberately misleading the House;
• corruption by offering bribes to Members, and Members by receiving bribes;
• advocacy by Members of matters in which they have been concerned in a professional manner for a fee;
• the acceptance of a fee by Members for services connected with their parliamentary duties;
• wilful misrepresentation of debates;
• premature disclosure of committee proceedings or evidence;
• other indignities such as fighting in the lobby, using the badge of the House on an unofficial publication, and serving a writ on a Member in the precincts without the leave of the Speaker;
• obstructing Members in the discharge of their duties;
• molesting or insulting Members attending, coming to, or going from the House;
• attempted or actual intimidation of Members, including publishing threatening posters regarding Members voting in a forthcoming debate;
• molesting Members on account of their conduct in Parliament, for example by inciting newspaper readers to telephone a Member to complain of a question a Member had tabled;
• obstructing officers of the House while in the execution of their duty; and
• obstructing witnesses or punishing witnesses for evidence given by them to a committee