Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I reject, as I did before, the characterisation of Dr Henry's appointment under section 67 of the constitution as in any way political. He is a distinguished Australian with immense expertise in Treasury matters, in fiscal matters and in economic matters who I am very pleased is going to continue to provide his services to our country. The member for Mackellar said that the Australian people are entitled to know. I think that the Australian people are entitled to know why it is that members of the opposition are in any way challenging the appointment of Dr Henry to the service of the Commonwealth, because the appointment of Dr Henry to the continuing service of the Commonwealth ensures that his abilities and his vast experience, recognised by the former government, are going to continue to be of service to our people. Section 67 is being used for Dr Henry because of the whole-of-government nature of the policy advice that he is going to be able to give the Commonwealth. It goes well beyond anything that a conventional appointment under the Australian Public Service Act might encompass. Dr Henry will be advising the government on issues that are of a whole-of-government nature, and details of that, as I have indicated in my previous answer to the member for Mackellar, will be determined with the Prime Minister. It is bizarre that the member for Mackellar should suggest that there has been even the slightest lack of accountability in relation to the appointment of Dr Henry. If it was so unaccountable, why was it that there was an announcement of Dr Henry's appointment, along with a number of senior appointments that the Prime Minister announced on 1 June 2011? It is hardly an act of unaccountability to make an announcement of the appointment of someone under section 67 of the Constitution. I would ask again, and I think the Australian people are entitled to know, why it is that the opposition are so set on criticising absolutely every feature of the administration of the Commonwealth in talking down this country and the government that they cannot conceive that someone with as distinguished a career as Dr Henry could and indeed will provide continuing service to our country.

Finally we had a reference from the member for Mackellar, who just cannot seem to leave it alone, to the negotiations that are ongoing with our neighbour Malaysia. For weeks now we have seen an attempt to destroy our relations with Malaysia and our government's work with our regional neighbours, something which the former government never did, in order to reach appropriate arrangements in relation to asylum seekers. Coming up now—and no doubt we will hear more about it—we have further destruction being planned by the member for Cook, who has been sent by the Leader of the Opposition to Kuala Lumpur. (Time expired)

See this speech in context