Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Chair. It is remarkable that, after the period of time in which Senator Brandis has sat in this chamber, you would even need to spell that out.

Senator Brandis, through the chair, the reason this is taking time is that you are refusing to provide us with your counterarguments, which you have written. You obviously consider that the concerns raised by the scrutiny committee are legitimate enough to be worth bothering to reply in writing. You are withholding those responses from those who are seeking to ask those same questions. You are offering to table them later in the day, presumably, after this opportunity for us to put these questions to you has lapsed and that opportunity will be lost. Then you wonder why things are taking time.

Let me spell it out: things are taking time because you are withholding information which you are proposing to provide in a couple of hours time. Just seek leave, table the document and we can move on, if we are satisfied with the answers that you have provided. Senator Brandis, in the meantime, through you, Chair, I do not appreciate being accused of abusing Senate procedure, for coming in here and asking you perfectly reasonable questions, which have been asked by a Senate committee and which deserve answers. With that in mind I would, again, invite you to just produce the document so that we can get on with the debate. Or, if not, feel free to just read in sections of what you have provided to the Scrutiny of Bills Committee so that we can see whether we are satisfied with your response.