Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

In response to my question about the policy guidance, Parliamentary Secretary, you said that that work was already underway. You then said that that work has been done for some time. My question related specifically to the added but not distributed addendum to the explanatory memorandum. I suppose I am either entitled to say, 'Well, yes, it has been, and it has been there for some time,' or 'The work has just started.' Which one is it? Has it been there for some time and therefore, if it has, that is what the department will be relying on? Or has it started in the last three hours? You cannot have it both ways, Parliamentary Secretary. Either the work has already been done and you are going to rely on it—shake your head as you may, I am only quoting your words. I am just quoting your words, old boy, and the simple fact is that you said it had been underway for some time and they were already there. You are now telling me they have just started it. Given that, according to your comrade in arms from the Greens, she was still negotiating with the government late on Friday afternoon, have they started that work since nine o'clock this morning? Is that what you are telling us? Or, indeed, has all this work been done? Was that just put in to satisfy a few whims, according to you—and, indeed, the consultation will not be required because the decisions have already been made? If it is there and has been there for some time, why do we need this particular piece of legislation?