Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I've spoken at some length already about why the Greens don't want to see, in the Statute Update (Smaller Government) Bill 2017 before us, the Product Stewardship Advisory Group disbanded. To save a few bucks, are we going to rip out of this legislation the body that is overseeing probably one of the most important recycling initiatives that we've seen in this country? It is probably one of the only things that we've done to take a holistic approach to fixing the waste problem that we have in this country.

Now, I haven't had a chance to talk about CAMAC yet and why we don't want to see CAMAC disbanded and defunded either. It has done some critical work on financial managed investment schemes, which you yourself, Mr Acting Deputy President Ketter, have been involved with through the economics committee. In fact, it has been one of the only organisations to independently research the catastrophe that was forestry managed investment schemes. We need that kind of independent research and oversight in our policy, and it's very important for us to take our cues from that kind of independent research when we debate these topics in parliament. Mr Acting Deputy President, could I take a point of order while I'm speaking, if that's okay?