Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the senator's question is as follows:

(1) It is a long standing practice of successive governments not to disclose cabinet deliberations.

(2) Please refer to evidence given at May Senate Estimates.

(3) (a) The department was in the process of changing legal advisors at the time. The request for advice overlapped with the department's transition to the new legal service provider. Finalisation was not requested because the department's service provider had changed.

(b) It is a long standing practice of successive governments not to disclose cabinet deliberations.