David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to make a contribution to this MPI debate. Senator Brandis has stood here today claiming that the Attorney-General has undermined public confidence in the courts and has inappropriately interfered in litigation. This is a constant complaint from Senator Brandis. He has even complained that the Attorney-General successfully defended plain-packaging legislation when various tobacco companies took the Commonwealth to the High Court. How outrageous that the Attorney-General would defend the Commonwealth against big tobacco giants and their litigation strategy!

Senator Brandis continues to berate the Attorney-General for successfully defending this country's laws. These incredible claims come from the shadow Attorney-General, who has proven again and again that he cannot stop himself from inappropriately interfering in legislative matters in states other than those he has been elected to represent. What he does not mention in his MPI is that he tried to intervene in independent police matters earlier this year when he called the New South Wales Liberal police minister to try and force a police investigation. Senator Brandis sought to influence independent investigations by the New South Wales Police and the New South Wales DPP.