George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

My approach to this issue is an entirely pragmatic one, as I am sure yours is. We want to have whatever works best. I think that a national bureaucracy based in Canberra is less likely to be effective than state agencies and child protection agencies who have investigative officers, social workers and other support staff on the ground in the capital cities and the provincial cities and towns of Australia and who have a greater investigative capability than some agency based in Canberra could ever have. That is why, Senator Hinch, as I said in answer to your earlier questions, my preference is for the national government to assume a coordinating role to ensure that information between the jurisdictions is as freely shared and as readily available as possible and that state and territory laws are as consistent as they can be. (Time expired)