Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I choose to believe the Australian Human Rights Commission, which is the fiercely independent body set up to protect the human rights of all Australians and which is at the coalface of dealing with discrimination issues. The Australian Human Rights Commission itself is saying that it doesn't support this cost regime because it thinks there are inadequate protections for small business, for non-government organisations, for charities and for individuals that don't have the same level of financial resources. Are you seriously suggesting that the Australian Human Rights Commission should be treated as any other stakeholder in this debate? Doesn't it raise a red flag for you, Minister, that the Australian Human Rights Commission itself is raising material concerns with respect to this cost regime, or do you think its views should be treated as just like any other stakeholder?