Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Barbara Pocock, I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than 5 pm on Wednesday, 28 June 2023:

(a) all documents, including but not limited to correspondence, file notes, minutes and briefing materials relating to any communication between the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) tax scandal, from January 2016 to date;

(b) all information, including but not limited to emails, notes and correspondence shared by the ATO with the AFP from January 2018 to July 2020 in relation to the PwC tax scandal; and

(c) all documents, including but not limited to correspondence, file notes, minutes and briefing materials relating to the decision by the AFP and the ATO that there was insufficient information to refer the PwC tax scandal to the AFP for investigation.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

The government will not support this motion. The government's deep concern about PwC's conduct is well known, evidenced by the Treasury secretary's referral to the Australian Federal Police. The production of documents sought by this motion has the potential to prejudice the AFP's current assessment of that referral and any potential legal action that follows. It is not in the public interest for this motion to succeed. I urge those opposite to carefully consider the consequences of ordering documents that relate to a police referral.

Question agreed to.