Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, while I didn't take part in the Senate inquiry, I have no doubt that this is something that you have asked repeatedly and had answered many times. I respect your right to keep asking the same questions, but you have heard these answers before.

The government has come to a view that the commissioner is best placed to determine that public hearings should be able to be held in exceptional circumstances. The reason we have taken that path is that we think it is the commissioner's role to make that decision, rather than setting a different test—the test that you are advocating yourself.