I appreciate that, MP Beech. That was very helpful. The water helped. Thankfully I got some lemon before I came down here.
I believe this study has spoken quite specifically to why we want her to do that in terms of ministerial accountability, which is what that amendment by MP Blaikie is about.
I should say, before I finish this side of the report, that I do take requests and, if you would like, I do have some things I could say about the enforcement of the elver fishery and some genuine letters from constituents concerned about their property, but I'll finish this report first. It says:
There is less emphasis on being responsible for internal aspects of one's actions (or inactions) and strict codes are generally applied to the public service rather than ministers.
In other words, public servants are held to a higher accounting than, apparently, ministers are in some Westminster systems. I wonder who they are talking about there. It continues:
Accountability is socially contingent, and while ministerial codes can be ambiguous, ministers know they will have to at least justify their judgements, actions and decisions to cabinet, party....
Well, I'm sure they've done that.
We know that the Liberal Party has a convention this weekend, and we know that the Minister of Finance will be there, because they've advertised that she is going to have a nice fireside chat on election success with Hillary Clinton, who has had so much electoral success. I'm sure there will be a lot for the Liberal Party to learn from that, but that is the party in the finding Freeland issue. Perhaps the finance committee should set itself up at the convention centre of the Liberal Party this weekend and see if the minister could spare two hours away from her schmoozing with the former senator and first lady to be accountable for her $400-billion budget.