Barbara Pocock (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) order for the production of documents no. 257, agreed to on 20 June 2023, relating to communication between the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) tax scandal, including specifically in relation to the decision by the AFP and the ATO that there was insufficient information to refer the PwC tax scandal to an AFP investigation, has not been complied with, and

(ii) the Treasurer, in his response to the order, made a claim of public interest immunity on the basis that the requested documents could prejudice the ongoing AFP investigation into PwC;

(b) rejects the public interest immunity claim made by the Treasurer, noting that the response did not specify how the claim applies to every document or category of documents within the scope of the order; and

(c) requires the Minister representing the Treasurer to comply with the order by no later than midday on Monday 7 August 2023.

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 notes that there is an ongoing Australian Federal Police investigation into the PwC matter. The Senate has been advised that the release of the documents sought could prejudice an ongoing investigation.

Question agreed to.