Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I apologise to Senator Xenophon if he was distracted by Senator Brandis at the outset when I indicated I would be reflecting.

An honourable senator interjecting—

Well then, I do not need to apologise. I indicated at the outset that I would be covering the three sets. If you objected to that, Senator Xenophon, you might have responded at the outset. I am of course quite keen to facilitate progress in relation to the consideration of the amendments in this committee stage, so I was seeking to address the three sets at once. If Senator Xenophon can bear with another paragraph then that will conclude my contribution on his amendments.

I was saying that although it is inappropriate for warrants to be contested in the way that Senator Xenophon desires, the public interest advocate model ensures that the warrant issuing process is rigorous and the issuing authority hears strong arguments against the issuing of a warrant. Labor believes that this is the appropriate model overall, thus related to the first two amendments and the subsequent ones. We share Senator Xenophon's goal, however, of protecting journalists and we believe that the model already incorporated in this bill achieves that goal.