QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (15:32): Thanks, Senator Whitten. I would certainly want to check those figures you've cited to ensure that they are accurate. As I've already stated, in our last term of office, the ministers at the time did create a new ministerial direction to the ART to make even more clear the government's expectations as to the sorts of things they would take into account when they're considering these types of matters.

The reality is that we do have an independent ART, which makes these decisions about review applications that are made. I think the government has made very clear what its expectations have been, and, indeed, we strengthened those expectations in our first term. I might remind you, Senator Whitten, that there have been occasions where the One Nation party—despite its constant claims to toughen up on people—has actually voted the other way.

We all remember that, after the terrible Bondi atrocity, when this government tried to strengthen legislation to deport hate preachers, One Nation voted against us.