Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

Again, I thank the member for Melbourne for his question. As I said earlier, it is very important that we get on with this legislation and get it passed. It will, of course, be subject to debate and consideration in the other place, the Senate. As far as this particular set of amendments is concerned, these are straightforward and very readily comprehensible. The honourable member, famous for his quick and agile intellect, has had no problem in understanding them. The structure is very clear.

I would think there is only one real issue of contention with the media sector, which I have spoken to and which we have consulted with intensely. I want to thank journalists again—for example, Laurie Oakes, the elder statesman of the press gallery, has been very eloquent on this matter—and, of course, their union and the employers themselves and the editors. I thank them all for their contribution. Many of them made an argument that, before a warrant of this kind was issued, the journalist should be given prior notice so that the journalist could appear, either personally or with counsel, to oppose the issuing of a warrant. That would be a massive, radical change to the way in which warrants are issued and would have implications and create a precedent that would go well beyond this case, so neither the government nor the opposition supported that. But, apart from that, I think this provides answers to the concerns of the media organisations and, based on my discussions with them today, they have broadly welcomed it.

So I really do put to the honourable member that he has more than adequate time to deal with this. We often have to deal with things quickly in this House. Sometimes people think the wheels of government grind very slowly, but on occasions we have to crank it up and get things done. We are here to legislate, not just go round in circles on issues, and we have been going round. I make no criticism of anybody, but this issue has been kicking around for years, and we are bringing it to a resolution now. It is a great credit to the Prime Minister for his energy in making sure that this matter is brought to resolution, and I also pay credit to the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues the member for Isaacs and the member for Blaxland for their cooperation with us this week in getting these amendments resolved.

See this speech in context