Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The government opposes the motion, which Senator Ruston has brought again this week, because, again, the minister has not been provided with the final report of the Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check. Senator Ruston, the minister would welcome a request for a briefing on the health check rather than you using the Senate to request sensitive data from private hospitals which we have already indicated is commercial in confidence. The government is working closely with the sector on the financial health check, and the minister and his department have appreciated their close cooperation in that work. We will respect the good faith in which the sector has provided highly sensitive, commercial-in-confidence information. As the minister has indicated, when he does receive the report, he will look to publicly release a form of the document that does not breach this confidence.

Question agreed to.