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

I refer to the notice of motion from Senator McKenzie, agreed by the Senate on 26 October 2022, for the order for the production of documents, order 55. The senator's request relates to correspondence between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments. The government claims public interest immunity over documents relating to the senator's request on the ground that disclosure of such documents would cause prejudice to the relations between the Commonwealth and the states. Specifically, disclosure would harm the Commonwealth's ongoing relationship with the state government on this and future infrastructure funding arrangements.

I might just say in anticipation of Senator McKenzie's response, given her responses over the last couple of days to similar matters, that the approach the government is taking on this matter is no different to the approach taken by the former government when these sorts of circumstances arose. I think it is highly ironic that Senator McKenzie, of all people, should be talking about transparency of funding.