Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

One of the cornerstones of this amendment to the legislation that we are debating is flexibility and good governance. As we have repeatedly stated in the second reading debate and now in committee, the government thinks flexibility is a good principle to be applied to the legislation that we are debating. I again repeat that it is certainly not a case of who is in and who is out. Currently, the legislation prescribes 18 bodies that need to be consulted, but in fact many more are actually consulted and have been consulted, as I have been advised.

The point is that we do not need this prescribed in the legislation. Lists of organisations date as organisations change. Any reasonable minister will consult widely, as has always been the case. Certainly the minister that I am representing in this place is a most reasonable person, and he will consult widely, as has been his wont. I do not know that I can make the point any more eloquently than I already have: the government sees that flexibility is highly desirable in terms of the legislation that we are debating. There is no hidden agenda. No intention has been developed in an open or, indeed, a subversive way to exclude organisations that need to be consulted when appointments are being considered and being made from being consulted. I think any reasonable airing of the principle that we are debating right now would attract considerable sympathy for the government’s position.