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Wednesday, 11 August 1999
Page: 7231


Senator MURRAY (10:33 AM) —I should point out that Senator Brown's interpretation of `must' and my interpretation of it differ. I think that is important to the debate, because this `must' means that the Prime Minister must make a decision. This `must' does not say that that decision must be more than informed by the committee. They are two processes: to receive the committee's recommendation and to consult with the Leader of the Opposition. If ever this matter were dealt with, I would expect that the committee's recommendation would weigh very heavily on the Prime Minister. My reading of that clause on a strict interpretation—and there are some lawyers in the gathering in the chamber—is that it simply means that he must make a decision, not that he must make that decision in favour of the list given to him by the committee.