Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In responding to these points, I appreciate that the minister might not be across the particulars of the ARENA case, but the ARENA instrument was only considered because it was disallowable and, therefore, came before the scrutiny committee. So that issue wouldn't have been identified but for the fact that it was contained in a disallowable instrument and, therefore, fell within the ambit of the scrutiny principles. So I take the minister's point, but I think there is a legitimate point there to be considered.

On the second point, in relation to the minister's previous career, I know the minister feels very strongly about representing people who need assistance with respect to legal representation and making sure everyone in this country is able to seek justice. Isn't the reality that there are many people who are subject to instruments made in this place who simply don't have the power, don't have the financial resources and don't have the ability to run off to court to challenge something? In that situation, the scrutiny committees of this parliament perform an extremely important role to effectively act for those people who we are elected to represent.