Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, by no later than 9 am on 15 November 2018:

(a) the advice provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to the Minister regarding the grants to the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association (NTCA), the Amateur Fisherman's Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT) and the Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) that were referred to during the 2018-19 supplementary Budget estimates cross-portfolio hearings of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee on 26 October 2018;

(b) copies of the grant applications by the NTCA, AFANT and NTSC for funding from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy; and

(c) any correspondence, or any other information including briefs, meeting and file notes from or to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs about these grants.

(2) At the conclusion of question time on 15 November 2018, and any day after that period, a senator may ask the relevant minister for an explanation of the response to the order contained in paragraph (1) or for an explanation of the failure to respond, and:

(a) the senator may, at the conclusion of the explanation, move without notice—That the Senate take note of the explanation; or

(b) in the event that the minister does not provide an explanation, the senator may, without notice, move a motion in relation to the minister's failure to provide either a response or an explanation.

Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) 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.

Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that this motion contains two parts: one is for the ordering of the documents and one relates, in some sense, to measures designed to have the government respond to the motion positively. In my view, orders for production should be supported by all senators interested in transparency. The government should be given an opportunity to then advance a public interest immunity, after which time the Senate can decide what to do. So I ask that this motion be split up into two sections, with paragraph (1) first and paragraph (2) second.

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

I will follow your request, Senator Patrick. I will now put paragraph (1), which includes clauses (a), (b) and (c) from motion No. 1175. The question is that that motion be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

I will now put paragraph (2), which includes clauses (a) and (b). The question is that paragraph (2) be agreed to.

Question agreed to.