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

We have gone over time, but I will respond as quickly as I can. I would say to the member for Mackellar that I will take on notice her questions, although I do feel I have answered quite a number of them now more than once. I will take on notice those of her questions that have not yet been answered and respond in a timely fashion.

I just want to make a point about the Ombudsman because, while attending the quorum call in the chamber, I have had occasion to reflect on the Ombudsman's position. It is a very curious thing that the member for Mackellar should be addressing questions to me about an independent statutory office holder. I know that those opposite do not have the same proper view of the independence of statutory office holders. It appears that the member for Mackellar has not read the Ombudsman's legislation, does not understand that the way in which the Ombudsman functions is to act on complaints and further that, insofar as there is any other jurisdiction available to him, it is a jurisdiction that he determines solely in his own absolute discretion as to how that discretion is to be exercised. The suggestion that I, appearing here in consideration in detail of the appropriations for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, should be able to say or indeed that it would even be proper for me to say how the Ombudsman is going to carry out his statutory functions is frankly ridiculous.

As to the continued appalling calling into question the excellent appointment of Dr Ken Henry, it is a sorry day that the opposition is seeking to deny to the Australian people the services of someone of the immense eminence and expertise of Dr Ken Henry, who I have no doubt could be commanding remuneration many times that which he is being provided from the public purse if he were to go into the private sector. We are all very well aware of the immense salaries that are being paid in the finance sector in Australia at the moment and indeed overseas, and the Australian people are being well served by obtaining the services of Dr Henry.

Lastly—and I say again, I will take on notice the questions that have been addressed to me, insofar as they are proper questions, by the member for Mackellar. Some of them were not—I need to put this on the record: I reject absolutely any statements of fact that were made here by the member for Mackellar and I completely reject the suggestion that I have admitted anything, which is the way in which she sought to characterise something that I said on the last question here. Proposed expenditure agreed to.

Remainder of bill—by leave—taken as a whole and agreed to.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

See this speech in context