Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

For the record, the government will be supporting these three amendments. Amendment (1) goes to the selection for appointment. These amendments relate to ensuring that the appointments to the board of the High Speed Rail Authority are a result of a merit based process, which, of course, they will be. The minister has already made clear in the other place that the board of the High Speed Rail Authority has to be a skills based board, and it is absolutely the determination of the government to appoint people based on merit.

Amendment (2) goes to disclosure of interest. The government supports these amendments concerning the disclosure of interests of board members to the minister in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. We also support amendment (3). These amendments relate to ensuring that the position of the CEO of the High Speed Rail Authority is the result of a merit based process.