Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There has been a great deal of speculation about this deal and a lack of information about what has gone on. But what we do know from that answer is that we can't just blame the government for throwing The Guardian under the bus; Senator Xenophon has facilitated it. That's what has happened. There's so much about this deal that we don't know. Senator Bernardi was actually able to stitch together some of the declared deal that was done some time ago with Senator Hanson with regard to the ABC and the SBS. It would seem that the minister—by media release on that occasion, 16 August, for the Pauline Hanson's One Nation deal—did put some information out about what was agreed. Senator Lambie had some comments to make last night about how dangerous it is to take the government at its word, even if it puts a media release out. I think her comments were that she is still waiting on two years worth of promises of a catch-up, and she hasn't forgotten.

Senator Hanson, who I note has come into the chamber, has gotten something from you, in terms of a media release about what was constructed—at least up to 16 August. But here we are, debating a suite of bills that the government says is the biggest media reform in decades, and we've got nothing—zero. Actually, we've got a change to two numbers—we can't forget that—from Senator Xenophon's amendments. We've got no detail. The minister, who can't answer the questions, is seconding Senator Xenophon to provide the details. My question is: when will the government publish information about the Nick Xenophon Team? Even in as fragile a form as a media release—as disrespectful to the Senate as that is—when is it that going to be put up? What has his department actually done to clarify this situation and record it?