Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Evans is interjecting, but until such time as these things are fully determined, it is inflammatory to use language such as ‘misleading’ as opposed to ‘factually incomplete’—and there are differences in the nuances there. At the end of the day, it will be for the inquiry to make these determinations. I do not, unlike those opposite, seek to set myself up to make the sorts of determinations that they want to.

In relation to when the minister became aware of Mr Besley’s reconsideration of his evidence, that is an appropriate question. I do not know the answer to that. I will take that on notice and find out from the minister when he first became aware of that. In relation to the other matters, I suggest to those on the other side that they take a bit of a cold shower and allow the inquiry to undertake the very important task that it has.