Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

No, I have a number of other questions beforehand. Perhaps for the benefit of both the minister and the other senators who have asked, the members of the interim committee are: Professor Craig Simmons, Professor John Langford, Ms Jane Coram, Associate Professor David Laurence, Professor Chris Moran and Emeritus Professor Peter G Flood—and I did not even have to google that, Minister. I asked it of you in estimates and I have the department's response here, so thank you very much for that.

Minister, you mentioned before that, yes, this was indeed an advisory committee and I said to you, 'Well, what are the consequences if the states do not in fact take heed of the advice?' You did not really answer me other than to say, 'This is an advisory committee,' which is a bit tautological. If there is no penalty for not taking that advice into account then what exactly are you giving them $50 million for?