Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I contend that the order was not complied with. The order was for any documents created, sent or received by relevant department and ministerial officers relating to a national hardship fund, or similar program, payment or initiative, to support international students during COVID-19. This does not imply that a fund had to be established or in operation. Indeed, the Senate order was intentionally drafted widely to capture any initiatives the government may have been working on but did not eventuate. I know for a fact that there are documents that relate to a national hardship fund that fall within the scope of this order, because I submitted a freedom of information request to the department of education, worded similarly to the order, relating to the exact same time period, which identified about 200 pages of material relevant to the request.