Mr SPENDER(12.29 a.m.) —I would just like to point out exactly what we are doing. We are establishing a commission which will be in existence for five years. The purpose of that Commission is to investigate criminal activities of an exceedingly wide-ranging nature, including offences of kinds that persons or bodies engaged in law enforcement are experiencing special difficulty in investigating. That is a very wide description indeed. When an undertaking is given a person must answer. Blanket undertakings can be given so that every person who appears before this National Crimes Commission for the next five years, if the Attorneys-General are so minded, must answer.

All I am seeking to do is to restrict at this stage the ambit of the power that the Commission will have so that if a National Crimes Commission is established- I believe it should-it will operate more in accordance with our concepts of justice. We will not be handing over for a period of five years to a body-no matter how well staffed, no matter how well intentioned-powers that no other body in this land possesses. That is the purpose of the amendment that I have moved. I hope that some members of the Government side would consider those proposals seriously enough to venture with me, should the opportunity arise, to support those proposals in a division.