Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to clarify this. I think there is misunderstanding, perhaps, about what the Scrutiny of Bills Committee does. It highlights problems or deficiencies in legislation and usually alerts the minister in time for the minister to respond to or amend legislation accordingly. My experience, having chaired that committee, is that ministers usually take advice from the Scrutiny of Bills Committee very seriously, and it is not a matter of responding to that committee report like normal Senate committees. The response is usually by way of amending legislation or otherwise.