Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate that the Attorney-General would be anxious to make sure he got the right appointments, but one could also be concerned that, if it takes a long time to fill vacancies—and we started from the premise that he didn't want to fill the vacancies at all—it does imply there is a lack of real motivation to fill vacancies. Obviously the circumstances suggest that the Attorney-General has had a long time to fill the vacancies. I ask you specifically: Does the Attorney-General intend to fill the vacancies? When will that occur? It's no good saying to me, 'I just have to make sure I get the right person.' It takes a bit more than that. Given the lack of certainty there has been about this Attorney-General's interest in maintaining the administrative efficiency of this court, how is it that it has taken so long to fill the vacancies that occurred?