Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning electoral law changes and Senate voting and seek leave to make a brief statement of less than two minutes.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Shortly after 4.25 pm yesterday the Senate agreed to an opposition motion that ordered the production of documents relating to electoral law changes, but that motion ordered that documents be tabled no later than 9.30 am this morning. Labor senators have questioned, today, why the documents sought were not tabled by the designated time. Senator Ryan explained that officials have been working without delay to search for any documents potentially covered by the order and he informed the Senate that the response would be tabled as soon as possible today, which I have now done.

This afternoon, at 12.17, the Senate also agreed to a motion that ordered the production of documents recording the agreement between the government and the Australian Greens relating to changes to Senate voting. This order required the documents be tabled no later than 2.00 pm today. There are no such documents recording such an agreement. I have now tabled my response to both orders, which includes those documents relevant to the first of those orders.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank Senator Cormann for tabling, in part, some of what he ought to have tabled earlier. In the ordinary course of events, we would seek leave to take note of the documents. Given that it is question time, I have discussed with Senator Cormann that we will seek leave on the next day of sitting. He asked me to give an indication that any such taking note would not take longer than half an hour, and I give that undertaking. If we could have some cooperation on the next occasion, we would appreciate it.