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

I indicate that I support the coalition's amendments, for a number of reasons. I did not support the previous amendments, because I thought that the concerns were not sufficiently founded in terms of how the Auditor-General's office would deal with small businesses and that the Senate could keep an eye on the Auditor-General's office through Senate estimates. In relation to these amendments, I think it is entirely appropriate that the bill be amended to ensure that the Auditor-General is able to inquire into and audit government business enterprises, when you consider that one of the biggest government business enterprises is NBN Co. There are other layers of scrutiny, but this would be an important additional layer of scrutiny. I do not think it is reasonable that the government should veto or direct the Auditor-General, an independent statutory officer, as to whether an audit ought to take place. In the same way that I thought it was important to give the Auditor-General's office the discretion to decide which small businesses to look into—even small businesses where there might be contractors involving thousands or tens of thousands of dollars—it would seem absurd not to allow the Auditor-General, as an independent statutory officer, to investigate what a government business enterprise is doing, particularly with NBN Co., where we are talking about tens of billions of dollars.

So I would like to hear from the government, from Senator Bishop, why we should not include government business enterprises within the purview of the Auditor-General, allowing the Auditor-General to have that discretion. Let the Auditor-General decide, not the executive arm of government. I strongly support these amendments.