DOCUMENTS

Senator SCARR (Queensland—Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (15:55): I rise in support of Senator Pocock. I wonder how they get printers that don't run out of toner when they print those pages that are covered with black ink, because that's what happens— Senator Gallagher: Ho, ho, ho! Senator SCARR: It's some of my best material, Senator Gallagher.

You get these documents back from the government, and they're just covered in black ink—redacted. Senator Gallagher interjecting— Senator SCARR: I'll take that interjection. What happened under the previous government—and I want to quote to you.

This isn't pollie speak. This isn't from a politician. This is from the Centre for Public Integrity.

This is what they say in relation to the performance of the existing Albanese government in relation to transparency. This is an NGO established by public interest experts, experts interested in transparency, advocates for transparency in government. This is from their media release of 24 July 2025: The Albanese government is less transparent than its predecessor, according to analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity— Senator Gallagher interjecting— Senator SCARR: That's what they say.

It continues: Catherine Williams, Research Director at the Centre, stated Labor's actions suggest a "deliberate effort— Senator Gallagher interjecting— Senator SCARR: Sorry, Senator Gallagher; Catherine Williams, the researcher at the centre, didn't say, 'Look at the volumes.' She said it suggests a 'deliberate effort to avoid scrutiny'. Senator Gallagher interjecting— Senator SCARR: You may well disagree with it, Senator Gallagher.

But the fact of the matter is that the Centre for Public Integrity is an outstanding NGO, one of whose purposes is public integrity in office, including transparency—and that's what they're saying. The second point I want to make quickly, because I know colleagues wish to speak to this—I listened carefully to the minister's statement, and Senator Pocock is right.

There was no validation, no justification with respect to the commercial-in-confidence claim. In fact, we heard a previous statement that was provided by Senator Ayres that at least provided some sort of justification for the commercial-in-confidence nature. So, at the very least, the minister should come back with an addendum or a further statement to explain why the information is commercial in confidence.