Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for the question. This government is committed to much more accountability in government. I think the Australian public will notice a marked difference in style to the previous government in terms of accountability. We are committed to improving accountability. Senator Brandis’s question goes directly to the question of legal advice, and I am sure I have been lectured by Senator Brandis in the past in this chamber, along with a lot of other former ministers on that side of the chamber, on how impossible it is to release legal advice because it is confidential legal advice to the government. It is quite a different circumstance to be open and accountable in terms of government decisions.

The government have made it very clear that we think the apology does not require us to also offer compensation. The government will not be offering compensation to the stolen generation and we have committed, in addition to the apology, to redoubling efforts to provide practical measures to assist Indigenous people through health, education and other measures, and I hope we enjoy the support of the whole chamber in pursuing those. But the question of legal advice remains the same as it did under the previous government—that is, confidential legal advice to the government is not released publicly. Senator Brandis, who I understand is an SC, would know that far better than I, and I am quite surprised that he asked such a question.