Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I want to go back to some of the comments Senator Feeney made earlier. He made out that the problem with Senator Xenophon's amendments is that they will constrain the independence of the tribunal. But he really has not established that case at all. I think this is an important point for our consideration. I congratulate Senator Xenophon. I am sure he will not mind me saying that what he has put forward here is very minimal. It is certainly not a constraint; it is just setting out some very minor issues of process. That is all we have here. Let us remind ourselves what the essence of that is: there should be a call for public submissions; there should be a website where those submissions can be received and there should be a public hearing conducted—and there are a few other process issues. So Senator Feeney's statement that the independence of the tribunal will be restrained—which obviously nobody would want to do—has not been established. I would ask that the senator set out his arguments for making that statement, which, from what I heard, was the whole basis of his argument for dismissing Senator Xenophon's amendments. I would be interested in his arguments.

The CHAIRMAN: Before I call Senator Feeney, I indicate to the committee that we are not actually debating the amendments per se as they have not been moved. Even though we are aware of the amendments, we are in general discussion. Senator Feeney.