Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I have never in the relatively short time I have been a Member of this House encountered a situation where information of such critical importance to the discussion of a Bill before the House was not available. I had to run downstairs to get the report in the middle of a debate on an amendment. It is outrageous that I had to draft amendments without the information which has now come before the House. That is unacceptable and intolerable. We should adjourn the debate in order to give us time to read the report of the Information Commissioner. Clearly, the Government has not read it. From a glance at the first few pages, we will have quite a discussion on the amendments when we reach them.

I have been remiss in not welcoming the Minister of State. I apologise and hope he will take my apology in the spirit in which it is intended. I have not engaged with him at this level previously. I put it to the Minister of State and Government Senators that it is unacceptable that we do not have time to read such an important commentary on a Bill we are discussing, nor can we use it to shape the amendments before the House.

The Acting Chairman, as a neutral observer, should listen to the points that have been made. Any independent observer would view this as an outrageous and intolerable situation. The fact that the Government will not listen to us on this issue is indicative of how determined it is to put through this draconian amendment to the freedom of information legislation.