David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The question was not at all to ask you to comment on the RSL; the question was going to the point that the government has claimed there is consultation. You have just made the claim again that the department engages in consultation. In broad terms I accept that that does occur on a frequent basis. What we are talking about here specifically is schedule 2, this offsetting provision. What became very clear during the committee hearing was that in fact there had been no consultation. There had been a briefing, a one-way flow of information, the night before the budget, which does not give anybody any confidence that there has been a serious attempt to consult. The question is—and it is raised again around this explanatory memorandum—does the government believe in the value of consultation with key stakeholders and will you give them the courtesy of the opportunity to provide feedback before this becomes part of law?