Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition understand why the government might seek to maintain political control over these matters. We have seen how the government chooses to approve and not approve inquiries which are proposed to be initiated through this chamber. Clearly, it makes decisions based on what it sees as its political imperatives. It may be that it sees that as justified in this case but, frankly, we are dealing with an office appointed under the law of the parliament and with the responsibility to investigate flaws in our national transport system.

I have yet to hear anything which would indicate in specific terms the matters the inspector ought to be constrained from investigating. I have heard no examples of the sorts of things that would be inappropriate for the inspector to investigate. It may be, and we would concede, that any final report tabled in the parliament might have to have references to sensitive matters removed, although we believe there should be consultation between the government and the opposition about those sensitive matters in the way that I have outlined. We will deal with that further in relation to a confidential consultation process with the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, for example, about these important security issues, with a clear commitment to confidentiality.

We do not understand why the minister should limit the inquiry power of the inspector. We do not understand what sorts of matters would be inappropriate for the inspector to investigate. We are keen for the government to tell us and the public what sorts of matters would be inappropriate for the Inspector of Transport Security to investigate and what its concerns really are about the provision that we propose. On the face of it, the only understanding that we can have of the government’s opposition to our amendments is that it wants to retain political power to prevent the inspector from inquiring into matters which might be politically embarrassing to the government. If those are the grounds then we would understand why that is what the government is putting forward. I do not think the Australian people will support that view, but at least we will understand it. But if the government has some other concern then we ask the government to place it on the record so that we and the Australian people can understand it.