George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

My initial instinct was that the Commonwealth did not need to intervene because, as I said, this was a revenue case between the ATO and the Western Australian government. Nevertheless, I did have a discussion with the Solicitor-General. I do not waive the Commonwealth privilege in relation to what may or may not have passed between us during the course of that discussion. I recall that, in his appearance before the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee last month, the Solicitor-General—if my memory serves me correctly—was also at pains to say that he did not waive the Commonwealth privilege either. Suffice it to say: we had a discussion. We had a discussion about whether or not the Commonwealth of Australia should intervene because of the issue—