Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I table the revised explanatory memorandum for the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007. To answer Senator Milne’s question in relation to the disclosure of information to the states and territories: this is not intended as a device to restrict information to the states and territories. The government take very seriously its responsibility to protect the very detailed data it is now requiring Australian companies to report. This will include data that could convey detailed information about the production activities of a company, the technology it uses, the processes it uses and the position of the company in relation to emissions generally. The government’s intention is to make all of this information, including commercial-in-conference information, available to the state and territory governments. That is the intention. But what we do intend is that it be protected sufficiently. And that is what this bill is about. The government does have a responsibility to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place prior to handing that information over to the states and territories. So I can assure Senator Milne that this is not a device to restrict information to the state and territory governments; it is to make sure it is provided but in a secure environment, bearing in mind that this could be quite sensitive information.

My remaining remarks are by way of summation of the debate and I seek leave to have them incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Question negatived.

Original question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.