COMMITTEES

Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Assistant Minister for Resources and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (15:40): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator CHISHOLM: The government will not be supporting this motion.

As explained by the minister in the letter tabled yesterday, the documents and questions are submissions to cabinet and informed cabinet deliberation. The confidence of ministers and the confidentiality of the cabinet process now and into the future would be diminished if the details of cabinet deliberations were to be disclosed prior to the open-access period provided for in the Archives Act.

The government is committed to releasing Australia's first-ever comprehensive assessment of the risks posed by climate change and how we can adapt. The government initiated this assessment and released the first pass assessment report of the National Climate Risk Assessment in March 2024. The government is now in the process of finalising the assessment for public release in a manner that respects the extensive work of Australia's leading climate scientists.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 5, standing in the name of Senator Waters, be agreed to.