DOCUMENTS

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (16:10): I seek leave to make a short statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator GALLAGHER: The government will not be supporting this motion.

The report referenced in this motion is being used to inform government decisions at a cabinet level, and actual deliberations of the executive council or cabinet are protected from disclosure. In this case the report is a central document for those cabinet deliberations. It has not been previously released or published, and a decision has not been made on these deliberations.

Its release prior to the finalisation of this cabinet process would negatively impact those deliberations. I have spoken to Senator Pocock to convey this—just to explain why we wouldn't be providing it—but I have also previously said that, when we complete those deliberations, this report will be released, and it will be. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question is that motion standing in the name of Senator David Pocock be agreed to.