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

I would invite her to examine the history of section 67 appointments by both the former government, which used the provision quite frequently, and previous governments since Federation that have also used this as an appropriate method of providing services, often at a very high level, to the Commonwealth. There is nothing inappropriate about the way in which section 67 is being used to secure the continuing services to the Commonwealth, to the great benefit of the Commonwealth, of Dr Henry.

I can make it clear to the member for Mackellar that we will provide such details of the work done by Dr Henry under the terms of this employment arrangement under section 67. I and the government accept wholly that the parliament is entitled to some details, as it is entitled to the details of work done by other servants on behalf of the Commonwealth. But I will have to take on notice the particular question, which probably turns on Dr Henry's individual circumstances—that is, as to the question of whether or not the appointment under 67 has some bearing on such retirement benefits as he is receiving from the Commonwealth. I do not accept the correctness of the characterisation of what are Dr Henry's superannuation, pension or retirement benefits from the Commonwealth. The suggestion has been made by the member for Mackellar, but I do not know what basis there is for it and I certainly would not want to be taken to be confirming in any way that the member for Mackellar has correctly described Dr Henry's retirement benefits from the Commonwealth.

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