Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the order for the production of documents discussed during a public hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee on 19 July 2021, agreed to in this place yesterday. I note that the documents sought under this order were also sought under order for the production of documents No. 1217. I also note that the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, through me, responded to that order on 2 September 2021.

With regard to clauses (1)(a) and (1)(d) of this order and further to the minister's correspondence to this place of 2 September 2021, I am advised that the documents subject to this order, reliant on the description during a public hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee on 19 July 2021, cannot be tabled, as no document matching this description has been seen by either the minister, his office or his department.

With regard to spreadsheets sought under clauses (1)(b) and    (1)(c) of this order and further to the minister's correspondence to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee of 4 August 2021 and, to this place, of 2 September 2021, I remind the Senate that the documents subject to these clauses of the order are subject to a public interest immunity claim on the grounds that the release of those documents would disclose the deliberations of cabinet. I table that document relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Urban Congestion Fund.