Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts about the Minter Ellison report. The minister has previously told this House that the report was developed following a technical workshop held on 3 April but, yesterday, his officials testified that the same report was provided to his department on 9 April. Does the minister expect the House to believe that the report was completed in six days or would he now like to correct his previous statement to this parliament?

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. My understanding is that ongoing work concerning risk assessment had been undertaken previously by Minter Ellison, and the report in question, as I have referred to it, and the dates in question to which I have referred are accurate. I make the point that at no time—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So, what are you saying?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister is responding to the question.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I make the point that I have always taken into account, during the course of the program, any elements that have come through in terms of risk identification, including those brought forward by my department in briefing, whether they have been identified by Minter Ellison or any other source, and I have always taken advice based on the issues that have been raised.