Op­po­si­tion Sen­a­tor Janelle John-Bates has of­fered her res­ig­na­tion to the Sen­ate, apol­o­gis­ing for the con­tro­ver­sy sur­round­ing her role on a key par­lia­men­tary over­sight com­mit­tee.

How­ev­er, there has been no con­fir­ma­tion as yet from Op­po­si­tion Leader Pen­ne­lope Beck­les on whether the res­ig­na­tion has been ap­proved.

John-Bates made the an­nounce­ment in a per­son­al state­ment mo­ments be­fore the Up­per House be­gan de­bate on a re­port from the Pub­lic Ad­min­is­tra­tion and Ap­pro­pri­a­tions Com­mit­tee (PAAC), which rec­om­mend­ed that her con­duct be re­ferred to the Com­mit­tee of Priv­i­leges for a for­mal in­ves­ti­ga­tion in­to a po­ten­tial breach of par­lia­men­tary du­ty.