David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to very briefly comment on the report. I signed, on behalf of Senator Macdonald, the deputy chair of the committee, some dissenting comments from the coalition highlighting that the Attorney-General had responded to questions and highlighting also Senator Macdonald's concerns that the whole conduct of this inquiry was one that was not to the normal standard of inquiries in the Senate. He was particularly aggrieved that there were a number of occasions where hearings were scheduled that he was unable to attend. He believes it is very much a political report as opposed to a substantive report of the Senate and the coalition has certainly submitted a report dissenting from the majority's view, in this case.