Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

It would be remiss of me if I do not mention that I welcome you to the chair, Acting Temporary Chairman Cameron. I am confident that, whilst you are in the position that you are in, this place will not degenerate into a rabble. As to this matter, I think it is a genuine concern. Let us see how this goes in terms of the five-year period. I accept what the government and the opposition have said. I think we need to monitor this in terms of the length of the reporting period. Of course, we will have a vote on it now. I understand it is lost but I can understand the reasons given by both the government and the opposition.

Question negatived.

I move amendment (10R) on sheet 7122 revised, which is standing in my name:

(10R) Clause 112, page 146 (after line 8), after subclause (14), insert:

(14A) Within 28 days of giving a notice under subsection (14), the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee must publish on its website the reasons for the endorsement of the proposal or the refusal to endorse the proposal, as the case may be.

Under this amendment the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee must publish on its website the reasons for its endorsement of the proposal or its refusal to endorse the proposal. Currently the bill provides that the minister must 'as soon as is practical' cause a decision to be posted on the department's website. This amendment inserts a 28-day requirement and also says that reasons for a proposed methodology being refused must also be published. It is effectively a transparency provision, and I am grateful for the discussions that I have had with the government and the opposition in relation to this. I think it would improve the legislation to have that benchmark of transparency and accountability in the legislation.