Payne, Sen Marise

Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Human Services) (14:58): Let me make it very clear that the government has not made a decision in relation to the privatisation or otherwise of Australian Hearing. What we are pursuing at the moment is a scoping study in terms of the future ownership of Australian Hearing, but we have not made a decision. I think it is irresponsible and unfair of those opposite to engage in their usual scaremongering when it is clearly the case that the government has not made a decision.