Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Tourism) | Hansard source

Gladly, Chair. I would love to do that. I think that what Senator Shoebridge has sought to do is clarify his comments—that he was directing them at the government and not to me personally. That was what I was responding to. It's not helpful in terms of the debate today.

Senator Shoebridge, you asked me about a government response which is on the public record. It's not in front of me, because it doesn't relate to this bill. I know that you would like me to have every piece of document that's been tabled in the parliament in my head or in front of me, but I don't. I can get that information for you. But, as it relates to the government's response to recommendations of a review that was tabled, that has not changed. I think that, if we were to go to those recommendations, you would find that that is exactly what the government is seeking to implement—ensuring that this provision does not sunset and considering further reform. I don't have the wording of the response in front of me. You clearly do. We can get that for you if you really need a public document to be presented through this debate. But what I've got in front of me relates to the current provisions, and what I've said to you is that we are seeking to extend the sunset to 2029 to allow us to undertake that comprehensive reform to modernise the electronic surveillance framework. That is not a changed position from the government. We will continue to work on that, and this bill today will ensure that that these really important powers do not sunset.