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

I am not sure that I fully understand the question from the senator. What I do know is that a lot of preparation goes into COAG meetings. There is a great deal of work conducted by officials from state and Commonwealth governments on the agenda, to try and reach agreed positions and to do the necessary research work and exploratory work that will facilitate the ministers, the Prime Minister and premiers to reach conclusions on their deliberations. So, obviously, a great deal of work goes into those meetings. Former ministers of the Howard government would be well aware of that. In many ways, the COAG meeting is a culmination of a lot of work that has been done by officials in the lead-up. Certainly there would have been preparations done.

In terms of my own portfolio, I am not involved in the COAG, so I have no personal knowledge of that arrangement, but it stands to reason that there has been very serious engagement with the states and territories in the lead-up to COAG. The agenda has been prepared and no doubt that will be considered at the meeting. If there is anything further I can help the senator with, I will see whether the Prime Minister has got anything to add. But, as I said, I think it is self-evident that there is a lot of preparation before the meeting. No doubt that will be used to assist the deliberations of the ministers at the COAG meeting.