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

So, Senator Watt, that is what this was about. Nevertheless, backed by litigation funders who had no interest whatsoever in bringing these proceedings to an early conclusion, that bipartisan legislation was challenged in the High Court by initiating proceedings filed on 27 November 2015. I did not do anything to interfere with those proceedings, because I did not know about them.

Senator Wong interjecting—

And, Senator Wong, you asked me in your question before about a section 78—you asked me before when the Commonwealth first became aware of the matter.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Wong, if you care to listen to the answer rather than constantly interject, we now know, because it has been checked, that the 78B notices, which in the ordinary course of events would be the first notice the Commonwealth had of a matter of raising a constitutional issue, were filed on 1 December 2015.