16 August 2025
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (16:04): I rise very briefly to indicate my support for the request for these documents to be made publicly available. As members will know, I am Chair of the joint parliamentary inquiry. The inquiry is looking into a number of these issues, and I recognise the support of the government and the opposition in setting up this inquiry. That said, I do think there is a public interest in this information being made more broadly available and so I am happy to support the honourable member's motion in that regard.
I understand there is an amendment being advanced by the government. No-one from the government has spoken to me about that, so I am not sure what the rationale is. I can assume that the inclusion of 'as soon as is practicable' is designed to give the government more time to comply with the request. I understand that, but I worry, given the dwindling number of sitting days that we have before us, that in real terms that may mean that the document is not made available. In those circumstances, I am not inclined to support the government's amendment unless a very compelling reason is presented to do so.