Senator HARRADINE(9.03 p.m.) —Before I get on to that, may I make an observation: the minister referred previously to the fact that the Secretary to the Treasury and the Secretary to the Department of Finance have to sign off on the costings advice that they will give on particular policies.

I think we are almost treating those particular documents as Holy Writ. I do not know whether the Treasury or Finance secretaries are named Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, but let me make it perfectly clear to the committee that I am just waiting for the occasion to bring out of the bottom drawer a little exercise that my office did relating to Treasury advice, where Treasury got it wrong. I am just waiting for the occasion to do so.

I do think we are placing too much reliance on Treasury. I know what the government is trying to do, and Senator Campbell eloquently stated the government's intention behind this particular piece of legislation. I understand that and accept it, but you say, Minister, that the opposition can get its announced policies referred to the responsible secretaries to prepare costings now. That is what you are saying. Under this legislation, I thought you had indicated that the opposition would be able, during the election period, to get its publicly announced policies costed. A number of those policies are already publicly announced. Are you saying that the provisions of this bill would enable the opposition to get those policies costed?

Senator Kemp —No.

Senator HARRADINE —No? Under those circumstances, I do believe it would be of benefit to the public for the alternative government to have its policies which have not been announced costed. I have come to that conclusion from having listened to the debate.