Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to ask a question of the Attorney-General.

Leave granted.

In your comments and explanations to the Senate on 28 November, you said, in part, when talking about the Solicitor-General, Mr Gleeson:

After I indicated that I did not intend to intervene in the proceedings on behalf of the Commonwealth, I was contacted by the Solicitor-General, Mr Gleeson. He gave me certain advice.

You invoked privilege on that, understandably. You then said:

It is sufficient to say that Mr Gleeson was strongly of the view that the Commonwealth should intervene, … I saw the force of what Mr Gleeson put to me and I accepted his advice.

He obviously told you that he was the Solicitor-General and was representing the ATO at the time. Was it after he put this forceful argument that you decided to issue the directive, just before the election, that all matters for all ministers and all departments had to in future come through you?