Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I saw it happen on numerous occasions, as I am sure the Senator has. We all know that there is selective leaking. As I have said to former colleagues, all one has to do to make a document desirable to journalists is to mark it "secret". Even if the information is not particularly interesting, they will want it and want to run with it. That is an incorrect exercise of power. One of the effects of freedom of information legislation was to undermine that cloak of secrecy. Unfortunately, this whole atmosphere will probably return once this amending legislation is enacted.

Amendment put and declared lost.