Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Hansard source

Can I first acknowledge the manner and the way in which this motion has been put. Normally, there are some discussions between the government and the opposition as to how this might work. That's something which, unfortunately, hasn't taken place on this occasion. I would just remind the Leader of the House about his own words at the Press Club in 2023:

The consultative approach that we have applied to the Parliament itself and to the way we have governed is of itself not just a difference in the way Government functions.

If we could just make sure that there are the appropriate discussions of these things—as there always are—that would be great.

I now want to talk to the substance of this motion. The Leader of the House did mention the fact that this is like a House of Representatives version of Senate estimates. But, for it to work and for it to be taken seriously, it does require ministers to turn up. The last time that this was done, ministers failed to attend. Now, we can understand there would be some ministers who would be away, some ministers who might be on leave et cetera. But the list, for the record, of ministers that failed to attend is thus: the Treasurer; the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, and Minister for Cyber Security; the Minister for Climate Change and Energy—maybe he was on a plane to Fiji; the Minister for Defence; the Minister for Education; the Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs; the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities; the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations; the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, and Minister for Emergency Management; the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors; the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; the Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport; and the Minister for Social Services. As you can see, it is a long list.

Every member of this House, I'm sure, agrees that, whether it was scrutiny when we were in government or scrutiny now that Labor's in government, we do have to take these processes seriously, because there are serious questions that can be put to ministers around the appropriation bills. So I think we need to make sure that we can do this. As a result, I would like to move an amendment to this motion, which will, if carried, compel ministers to actually show up and to answer questions. I understand it's not the most rigorous of processes, but I think it is important that the ministers are there to the largest extent possible, at least to be able to try and rebut what has occurred. It was something that we took seriously when we were in government, because I think it really demonstrates and shows respect to the parliament if you do turn up. I'm hopeful that, in a bipartisan way, the government might agree to this amendment. Basically, the amendment asks for responsible ministers to be present in the Federation Chamber for the consideration of each portfolio. So I move, as an amendment to the motion moved by the Leader of the House:

That after paragraph (2), paragraph (2A) be inserted as follows:

(2A) the responsible Minister being present in the Federation Chamber for consideration of each portfolio;

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