Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am trying to determine whether the first part of the submission on (1) was narrowing it, while now we are widening it—I am trying to reconcile that difference. But I do not particularly want to go there. I do understand the point Senator Brandis makes.

The government do not support the amendments proposed by Senator Brandis. While the government support the objective of the model professional confidential relationship privilege agreed to by the Standing Committee of Attorneys General, we do not believe it should be included in this bill. Any further consideration of the general professional confidential relationship privilege should not delay the introduction of the important journalist provision contained in this bill. The government, I foreshadow, will be introducing provisions in a separate package of evidence reforms which will ensure consistency with model provisions agreed by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General. That will be put before this parliament and there will obviously then be the opportunity of debating it.