David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to take the minister back to the word 'supply'. In one of your amendments, we come to the word 'supply', and you have changed that. Let us just deal with that as if that amendment has gone through, so I will disregard the wording in the bill but look at your amendment—I think it is (5) on sheet BM290. You say 'supply':

(a) includes supply by way of sale, exchange, gift, lease, hire or hire-purchase; and

(b) in relation to DSGL technology—includes provide access to DSGL technology.

Is the word 'access' such that there is an intent, so far as this bill goes, to provide such access? Do you envisage the word 'access' to be an active motivated action within the terms of the bill or does 'access' simply mean something that happens through lack of vigilance?

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: Before I call the minister, I remind the committee that we are actually considering government amendment (2) on sheet BM290. Senator Johnston, you did jump forward to an amendment later on.

The reason I have done that is that the amendment we are dealing with now uses the word 'supply', which is subsequently changed. So I am just trying to be helpful—which is my nature—and deal with the amendment that we are dealing with but read into it the intended amendment. Maybe I should not do that and it is a bit presumptuous of me. I have advised the minister that we will be supporting that amendment, so I am trying to be helpful, which I probably should not be doing, but it is my nature.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: Senator Johnston, the committee appreciates your helpfulness, as I am sure will be reflected by the minister now.