Senator JACINTA COLLINS (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) (15:43): I seek leave to make a brief statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: The government welcomes any discussion about furthering the promotion and protection of children's rights. The Attorney-General's Department is conducting a consultation to this effect. No decision has yet been made as to whether Australia may become a party to the optional protocol and Australia has not made any statement regarding refusal to sign. It would be premature to announce an intention to become a party to the optional protocol without undertaking appropriate consultation processes, as we are currently doing.