David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens don't oppose these amendments and think that they have some marginal benefits. But I would ask the government, through you, Deputy President: what was the government's rationale for not adopting the Law Council of Australia's recommendations to set the threshold for suspension of witness protection around the behaviour of or concerns in relation to the person who had the benefit of protection, instead of limiting the capacity to provide protection through the AFP? Why did the government reject the higher threshold and significantly limit the ability of the AFP to provide protection, given that the removal of witness protection can literally be a life-and-death matter?