Shane Ross (Independent)

I apologise. I did not realise I was taking other Senators' time. If the inquiry is restricted to that period of time, it will tend to restrict itself to the fallen personalities rather than the present ones, and personalities are important. One of the values of the report will be that the commission will be in a position to criticise those people who are exercising power in the banks at present. That is very important.

The report on the Department of Finance, which is peripheral to this, is also important. That should examine the people in the Department of Finance and not just, as we continually hear, the systems, procedures and structures. It is fine to talk about systems, procedures and structures but let us also get a look at the mandarins and see what they were doing, who was advising the Minister well, who was advising him badly and who was saying what to whom and when. This is a people business and not just a structural business.

I welcome the fact that we are setting up this investigation. I wish it well and I wish the Minister well in his endeavours.