Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I think I've just discovered why some of these questions are coming from my Greens colleagues. You said that this will be ratified shortly. This is actually a treaty that was ratified back in March of this year, and these are two customs enabling bills. You just said it hasn't been ratified yet. Well, it has been ratified. That might perhaps explain the misdirected nature of some of these questions. Again, as you acknowledged, this is in chapter 20 of the treaty. You obviously have a copy of the treaty and of that chapter. These questions have absolutely no direct relevance to these two customs bills at all. So perhaps, Chair, I might ask, in that case, if I could just get your opinion of whether these questions are in order, because they relate to a treaty that was ratified in March of this year. We have now spent nearly 10 hours on debate in this chamber on the same questions over and over again—on questions which actually relate to a treaty that has been ratified and which are not relevant to the bills here today. Chair, if I could ask for your guidance.

The CHAIR: It is a broad-ranging debate. The senator was asking for your view on the impact of that treaty on a free trade agreement, and I believe that you've answered that question.