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

I want to make a very short contribution to this debate and give one example of transparency in response to what Senator McAllister has provided. During the course of the previous coalition government, there was a case involving access under the Freedom of Information Act to the calendar and diary of the then Attorney-General, the Hon. George Brandis, who is a good friend of mine. That case went all the way through the courts, and a finding was made that that diary should be provided. The current Prime Minister, in the face of that clear legal precedent, refuses to provide a copy of his diary when requested under freedom-of-information legislation. From my perspective, that sums up the current government's views on transparency.