Tuesday, 2 June 2026

The Clerk: Finally, I table a letter from the Attorney-General dated 1 June 2026 in response to a resolution of the Council on 14 May 2025 on the motion of Mr Davis and further to the government’s initial response on 18 June 2025 relating to briefings provided to the Treasurer. The government have identified three documents within the scope of the order and make a claim of executive privilege over those three documents in part. I further table the three documents in part and the schedule of the identified documents.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, a number of these documents motions and the responses received here go back a very long way, and it might be that the government minister at the table, or indeed someone else, can explain. For example, the last one goes back to May 2025. It relates to a small number of briefings that would not have been hard to locate. It is just frankly incomprehensible that it should take one year for a small number of briefs –

The PRESIDENT: I do not think this is a point of order, Mr Davis.

David Davis: The minister might want to explain.

The PRESIDENT: I think there is a provision for you to move a motion to take note of the Attorney-General’s response.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (15:14): I move:

That the house take note of the documents tabled today and the documents not tabled pursuant to those letters.

Motion agreed to.