Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Why won't the government allow, in the context of seeking journalist information warrants, the right for potentially affected media organisations and journalists to make submissions to the authority considering the issue of such warrants? Will the government vetted public interest advocates not be constrained in their ability to argue on behalf of media organisations because they will be banned from receiving instructions from affected journalists as to how to best deal with confidential material? Further, will these advocates have access to a searchable database of previous secret judgements for such or similar applications? Won't these applicants be flying blind in arguing a case on behalf of media organisations?