Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government don't support this amendment. We do believe that the public register is going to be a very important process through which information is provided about the decisions that are made. It will enable the ascertaining of the minister's decisions on arrangements, in terms of the numbers and the outcomes of those arrangements; it will be completely publicly available to allow for that sort of public scrutiny over decision-making. It will help the states and territories to build a picture of the kinds of arrangements that might be deemed to be adverse to or inconsistent with Australia's foreign policy. It will include information about arrangements to support greater transparency. I think it is an important confidence-building mechanism for the public, for business and for state and territory entities themselves, that they can enter and deal with arrangements knowing they are consistent with Australia's foreign policy and foreign relations.

To be clear, there's certain information that won't be published on the register. That includes commercially sensitive information, information that would disclose state or territory cabinet deliberations or documents, any information that's subject to legal professional privilege or public interest immunity, or national security information. That is to protect that information—to recognise that its publication could have a detrimental impact.