Senate debates
Wednesday, 22 August 2018
Documents
Future Submarine Project; Order for the Production of Documents
4:31 pm
Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source
My motion relates to a $100 billion expenditure on submarines that has had very little scrutiny. I have moved the motion in circumstances where there have been three orders for the production of documents and the Senate has insisted on the provision of the documents but the minister has refused to do so. On two of those occasions, I then went and got an FOI whereby the documents were released to me as a regular citizen. That tells you there's something very, very wrong going on here.
This motion provides an opportunity for us to debate the minister's latest explanation and to impose a modest sanction if the Senate is not satisfied. This is a lesser motion than a censure but one with symbolic and practical effect. I understand Labor may move to separate this motion. I just ask Labor if they could provide some explanation as to why they wouldn't support enforcing the orders of the Senate?
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