Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I cannot answer that question. I do not know what representations have been made since the Water Act 2007 was introduced—that was seven years ago—who approached whom, what, when and how. I cannot answer that. What I can tell you is this: we as a government ensure that, irrespective of by whom we might have been lobbied, we take decisions in the national interest. That is what motivates us. Just because one, two, three or no individuals approached us to lobby us about a certain course of action, we will always be an open government, we will always listen to people who come before us and put proposals to us, and we will consider them and listen to them. We do not have closed minds, unlike some others in this place. But, having said that, at the end of the day we will make decisions based on the national interest, irrespective of by whom we might have been lobbied.