Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. Maybe I need to be more blunt? The sector does not want Treasury determining it; they want to see the commissioner, whose role is to support the objectives of this legislation, such as an independent, vibrant sector, cutting red tape and raising public trust and confidence. They have more trust in an organisation that is coming from the perspective of understanding the sector, rather than Treasury.

I will just cut straight to the chase and say that that is the reason they want it. Quite frankly, some of the iterations of this legislation that we have seen have been because there has not been an understanding of the sector. I am not having a go at Treasury and I am not having a go at the ATO; they have their jobs to do. But the commission will bring an understanding and a relationship with the sector that those government departments just do not have. That is what we are looking for, an ability to be able to negotiate and work with the sector.