Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

Consistent with our position on all motions related to this request, the government will not be supporting this motion. As already noted in the Senate, the report referenced in this motion is being used to inform government decisions at a cabinet level. Actual deliberations at the Executive Council or cabinet are protected from disclosure. In this case, the report is the central document for those cabinet deliberations. It has not been previously released or published, and a decision has not been made on the deliberations. The release prior to the finalisation of cabinet processes would negatively impact those deliberations.

Senator Gallagher has personally spoken to Senator Pocock and conveyed this to be upfront about the government's reasons in opposing this motion. As Senator Gallagher said on a number of occasions, when the government has completed relevant deliberations the report will be released.