MOTIONS › Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
Senator RUSTON (South Australia—Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (15:55): I seek leave to make a short statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator RUSTON: The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry is independent of the government, and the commissioner alone determines how the commission will operate, including what documents it will publish. As the commissioner has repeatedly stated, each and every submission received by the commission has been read and taken into consideration by the commission in its work. The government has full confidence in the commissioner's statements. The commission has received close to 2,000 submissions in response to its interim report and its hearings into superannuation and insurance which were not covered by the interim report. The vast majority of these submissions have been published by the commission, including a large number of submissions from individuals. Submissions have not been published where people submitting the information have requested confidentiality or in other instances such as where they relate to individual disputes which give rise to confidentiality issues and other similar considerations. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question is that the amended motion moved by Senator Anning be agreed to. The Senate divided. [15:57] (The Deputy President—Senator Lines)