Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks for giving me one minute. The amendment may deal with some of this. The pre-emptive nature of part (e) of this motion inappropriately attempts to bind the Senate in the future. The decisions of the Senate on responses to orders for the production of documents should be made on the terms of the responses provided. It remains the view of the government that national cabinet was established as a committee of cabinet and its documents and deliberations should remain confidential.

On 17 September 2021, the Prime Minister and all the leaders of state and territory governments made it clear that national cabinet has strengthened relationships by facilitating regular confidential discussions in the national interest, founded on the same principles—trust, confidence and collaboration—which underpin state, territory and Commonwealth cabinets. Cabinet confidentiality is a longstanding principle of Westminster system of government and a well-established ground for the claim of public interest immunity with respect to orders by the Senate.