Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Temporary Chair. I'm conscious that I'll be relieving you in a few minutes, and I suspect these amendments will be discussed when I won't be able to make a contribution. In the event that 8435 is proceeded with, I would like to telegraph a question to Senator Hanson-Young about amendment (3) on sheet 8435, dealing with the grant schedule in subsection H. It says:

(g) the person does not receive financial assistance from, and does not carry on its business with regard to the interests of, any of the following:

It then lists a range of entities, including political parties, trade unions and so forth.

My question is with respect to the definition of 'financial assistance'. Does 'financial assistance' mean entering into any commercial relationship with any of those entities—such as for paid advertisements if a trade union or a political party enters into a commercial relationship with one of these publishers? It's quite a genuine question about what the definition of that is. Should you be proceeding with those amendments, I'd be interested in a response.