Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the coalition, I indicate our pleasure to be moving these amendments jointly with the Greens. We think that this is a very important initiative to ensure proper parliamentary scrutiny of these three new funds. We think that it is in the government’s own interest to support these amendments. Any rejection of these amendments by the government for the very important element of parliamentary scrutiny of these funds will, in the public’s mind and indeed in the minds of members of this chamber, suggest that the government has something to hide.

When we were in government we were lectured for 11½ years by the Labor Party about the importance of parliamentary scrutiny, transparency and oversight of activities of this kind. I would be amazed if the government had any credible arguments about a joint committee of this kind between the two houses, with neither the government nor the opposition having a majority of members. It is appropriate that there be a specialist committee of the parliament that pays close and particular attention to the activities of these funds and to which Infrastructure Australia is accountable. It is important to have a committee dedicated to this task rather than only having, as we heard from the government, general parliamentary oversight.

It is important to stress that we are not submitting here any proposal that involves a committee having veto power over expenditure from these funds. That is not what this is about. We are not trying to prevent the government exercising its proper executive authority but we are saying that there should be a mechanism of this kind to ensure proper transparency, accountability and parliamentary oversight of the activities of the government with respect to these funds, which at least initially do involve some substantial sums of money. I would have thought it would be in the government’s interest to be able to avoid any suggestion, which will arise if this is not in place, that there is partisanship involved in expenditure from these funds. Having been in government I am well aware—and certainly the Labor Party accused us of this—that governments can be tempted to use these as ‘slush funds’. If the government wants to avoid that sort of accusation, the best way to do so is to accept these amendments. They do not cramp the government in any way. All these amendments do is ensure that there is parliamentary oversight and parliamentary scrutiny, without any veto being applied. I commend the amendments to the Senate.