Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General. The explanatory statement to the legal services direction in relation to the Solicitor-General tabled by the Attorney-General in the Senate on 4 May 2016 states: 'The Attorney-General has consulted the Solicitor-General.' Did the Attorney-General provide the Solicitor-General with a copy of the legal services direction before he tabled it in the Senate?

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the opposition spokesman for that question. All the issues he just raised have been well ventilated in the media before now, but I would like to inform the House that the Attorney-General has changed guidance note No. 11 to clarify the procedure for briefing and seeking options from the Solicitor-General. This change is purely administrative. It does not restrict the independence of the Solicitor-General and is consistent with the law and historical practice.