Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I thought Mr Rudd was the only one with a glass jaw, but it looks as though it runs in the leadership of the Labor Party! The point that I was making was that the number is around 700 questions. That is one very huge workload by anybody’s standards. What we had in that period of time as well was a change in the ministry, and it is vitally important, especially in this sensitive area, to ensure that every answer is technically correct. As I understand it from the minister’s office, these questions are being answered, are being worked through. Often, answers are provided to the minister’s office and they then seek further information and it goes back to the department. It is taking a long time. I accept and acknowledge that that would be frustrating to those senators who have asked those questions and are seeking answers to them. I have raised that with the minister’s office and I have been given the assurance that they are working on providing the answers as expeditiously as possible.