Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to address a quiet but deeply damaging failure in our democracy—this government's refusal to respond to the parliamentary inquiries it commissioned. Australians often see the adversarial theatre of question time, but it's in the committee rooms, away from the cameras, where much of the careful, constructive and multipartisan work of this parliament actually happens. Members and senators from across the political spectrum sit together to examine complex issues and develop recommendations grounded in expert advice. It's one of the strongest parts of our democratic system.

Right now, that system has become a black hole into which expert testimony, community experience and months of work simply disappear. Since 2022, 55 House committee inquiries commissioned by this government have received no response, despite being well beyond the six-month deadline. Half are more than a year overdue. For each inquiry, the government identified a problem worth investigating. More than 3,500 people and organisations, including experts, frontline workers, academics, community groups and everyday Australians contributed their time and effort to these particular inquiries because they believed the government was listening. Committee members held days of public hearings, reviewed evidence and tabled reports only for them to be ignored.

And the Senate picture is even worse. More than 150 inquiry reports tabled since the last election have received no final government response. This is not merely lax administration; it's a failure of integrity, accountability and respect. It wastes public resources and squanders the best work of the parliament. The topics at the centre of these inquiries are critical. They address some of Australia's most urgent and difficult policy challenges: terrorism, illicit drugs, online safety, plastic pollution, energy security, gambling harm and economic opportunities for First Nations people.

Meanwhile, the harms these inquiries sought to address continue to grow. Since the Drowning in waste report was tabled, another 250,000 tonnes of plastic have entered our environment. While the financial abuse inquiry recommendations have languished, another 620,000 Australians have likely become victims of this insidious form of domestic violence. The government's inaction is undermining public confidence. Constituents ask me every week why nothing changes. Currently, Australia has no coherent system to ensure government tracks, responds to or implements inquiry recommendations. We don't have to accept this. Other jurisdictions already use public tracking dashboards and independent monitoring to ensure inquiry work leads to action. An Australian independent, publicly accessible recommendation tracker would allow the public to see whether government is listening and acting.

Australians deserve a government that listens, learns and acts. We owe it to the people who participate in these processes in good faith. The government must do better. (Time expired)