Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of Senator Paterson, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator David Pocock will also sponsor general business notice of motion No. 288, and I seek leave to amend the motion.

Leave granted.

At the request of Senator Paterson, and also on behalf of Senator David Pocock, I move the motion as amended:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Finance and the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, and the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, by no later than 12 pm on Friday, 28 November 2025, all correspondence (including emails, letters, text or instant messages) between:

(a) the Department of the Treasury, the Treasurer or the Treasurer's office;

(b) the Department of Finance, the Minister for Finance or the Minister's office;

(c) the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's office;

and any Minister or Department or Agency concerning cost savings targets as referenced in an article by John Kehoe and Ronald Mizen published in the Australian Financial Review on 25 November 2025.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The government will be opposing this motion. The document referenced in the original motion does not exist. No letter has been sent by the Minister for Finance or the Department of Finance. Senator Gallagher's office made contact with Senator Paterson's office to explain this. Instead of withdrawing this OPD, Senator Paterson has now amended the motion to embark on a fishing expedition. These kinds of approaches are not in line with the intent of an order for the production of documents.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 288, standing in the name of Senators Paterson and Pocock, as amended, be agreed to.