Adam Brooks could be fined $40 if found to be in contempt of Parliament

Adam Brooks could be fined $40 or detained by the Sergeant-at-Arms for two weeks if the opposition parties referred his actions to the Privileges Committee and he was found guilty of contempt.

Former Braddon MHA Joan Rylah. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

ADAM Brooks could be fined $40 or detained by the Sergeant-at-Arms for two weeks if the opposition parties referred his actions to the Privileges Committee and he was found guilty of contempt.

The Braddon Liberal MHA has pledged to return to parliament “in due course” after taking extended personal leave related to stress from the Integrity Commission process.

He was on Tuesday revealed to have repeatedly lied to the Premier and to have deleted emails that showed he was still involved in a business with mining interests while mining minister.

BROOKS LIED AND DELETED COMPANY EMAILS, REPORT FINDS

However, his actions did not constitute a material conflict of interest as defined under the Ministerial Code of Conduct, the Integrity Commission found.

Premier Will Hodgman on Tuesday stripped Mr Brooks of his governmental roles and vowed he would not receive a ministry in the foreseeable future.

But the Opposition said Mr Hodgman did not go far enough and called for Mr Brooks to be booted from parliament.

Political analyst Richard Herr said the issue would have to be referred to the Privileges Committee for the parliament to take further action.

Standing Orders dictate that if Mr Brooks was found guilty of contempt under the Parliamentary Privilege Act 1858, the Lower House could ask a fine of up to $40. If unpaid, he could be imprisoned for up to two weeks by the Sergeant-at-Arms with $4 owed for each day detained.

“Contempt” was defined as disobedience of an order to attend or produce documents at the direction of the Upper and Lower Houses or a parliamentary committee, a refusal to answer questions put by either House or a committee, threatening or bribing MPs, and creating a disturbance in or near Parliament House.

Contempt against the Commons could also be prosecuted in the Supreme Court, where people found guilty would face two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $20,000, according to the Tasmanian Parliamentary Library.

It was unclear on Tuesday whether Labor and the Greens would take this course of action.

Mr Brooks could also be expelled from the Liberal Party, although this would not remove him from parliament.

The Liberals endorsed Mr Brooks for Braddon in November 2017 amid continuing questions about the use of the email account linked to his business MSS.

Joan Rylah, a former Braddon Liberal MHA and the likely candidate to replace Mr Brooks should he resign, said she had not heard from Mr Brooks nor anyone from the Liberal party about that possibility.