Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Government has repeatedly claimed public interest immunity in response to the orders of the Senate of 19 September and 20 September 2018 for the production of a document, namely, the final report of the Religious Freedom Review Expert Panel;

(b) further notes that, despite these claims of public interest immunity, significant portions of the final report have been leaked to the media, including its recommendations;

(c) in light of the leaking of significant portions of the document, is of the view that there can be no legitimate claim that the public interest is served by withholding the balance of the document;

(d) insists that there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, by no later than 7pm on 16 October 2018, the final report of the Religious Freedom Review Expert Panel; and

(e) orders that, if the final report is not tabled by the specified time, then:

  (i) the Minister be required to attend the Senate on Wednesday, 17 October 2018, before government business is called on, to explain why the minister has not complied with this order for the production of a document,

  (ii) at the conclusion of the minister's explanation, any senator may, without notice, move a motion to take note of the minister's explanation, and

  (iii) any senator may speak to any motion moved under subparagraph (e) (ii) for not more than 10 minutes, and the motion may be debated for no longer than 2 hours and shall have precedence over all government business until determined.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor is disappointed the Prime Minister has been hiding the report of the Ruddock review, which the government has been sitting on for almost five months now. The refusal of the Morrison government to release the Ruddock review raises questions about what this government is trying to hide from the Australian people and prevents the voters of Wentworth from being fully apprised of the facts before making their decision on how they vote this Saturday.

Question agreed to.