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

As I understand it, it is common legal phraseology to cover the field to allow all or any matter to be inquired into. The legislation says:

(1)

The Minister may, in writing, appoint a person to:

(a)

conduct a Commission of inquiry into matters specified in the instrument of appointment relating to all or any of the following ...

And then we have the terms of reference. It is quite clear from the minister’s public statements that he is very much interested in all matters being inquired into. Mr Callinan has indicated that, in the event that the terms of reference are not wide enough or broad enough and Mr Callinan is somehow constrained in his inquiry as a result of some limitation in the terms of reference, he will ask the minister to broaden the terms of reference. The minister has indicated that he will very willingly broaden the terms of reference to ensure that any avenue of inquiry that Mr Callinan considers to be important can in fact be pursued.