Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I would be grateful if the Attorney could answer the issue on the searchable database and the constraint on the public advocate. Why is the government rejecting the approach adopted for the last two years by our closest ally, the United States, in such matters, where media organisations and journalists as a general rule are given advance notice and an opportunity to directly argue issues of vital public interest before their metadata is accessed by authorities rather than being left in the dark, as is proposed by the government?