Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

No, I don't agree, because you're taking the comments quite significantly out of context. I was sitting in the chamber when Senator Canavan was making those comments. I was sitting in the chamber, and I know full well that in making those comments Senator Canavan was challenging public health orders issued by states and territories that are made by regulation, by edict, without reference to their parliaments. It's up for each of those states and territories to defend their positions, and indeed I know that many of them, in some cases, of course, have probably presented in parliamentary committees or other formats.

In terms of the Morrison government, we've made sure we're here today answering your questions. We've made sure, through the establishment of the COVID select committee, that we have fronted up. Countless times, our officials have fronted up to answer the questions of the opposition, to answer other questions and to submit ourselves to the scrutiny of this parliament and its processes and procedures, as is only reasonable. We front up. We handle that scrutiny. We submit ourselves to it. That's exactly what we're doing right now. Contorting or twisting words out of context, pitching them in terms of pretending somehow that this parliament hasn't had scrutiny, hasn't had opportunity to do so—that's just not true. This parliament has. I don't believe that's what Senator Canavan was suggesting in his remarks. I believe he was making references to other decisions elsewhere.

That's for him to defend and for others to engage in, but, Senator, I think you are misleading in terms of the construct of the question that you have put. We are here, engaged in scrutiny and accountability. I'm sure you, Senator Sheldon, have pursued opportunities at estimates and otherwise to hold the government accountable, and I've got no doubt that all of you, in particular Senator Gallagher as chair of the select committee, will continue to do so throughout the course of the pandemic.