Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

is not a surprise. This is a Prime Minister who thinks his job is political management—not management of the parliament, not management of policy, not management of good outcomes for the Australian people, but management of his own political fortunes. So maybe we shouldn't be surprised—as Senator Pratt interjects—that a Prime Minister who is all about marketing and spin and headline and announcement and photo op couldn't be bothered to answer questions posed by the Senate, because that's what he's about. He's about the management of his marketing brand, not about the management of the economy, the management of our community, delivering good policy that ensures that women can be safe at work—even when their workplace is the Australian parliament. This is a Prime Minister who offered to meet women behind closed doors rather than go out and cross the street to hear from thousands of women who had gathered here to say, 'Enough is enough.' Perhaps none of us should have been surprised that the Prime Minister wouldn't cross the road. The Prime Minister won't even do his basic day job of answering questions on notice from the Senate, from the parliament.

I never thought we would one day long for the leading heights of ministerial accountability under Malcolm Turnbull, but, frankly, I say bring them back. Bring them back, because what we saw from the last Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet was that Dr Parkinson took his role seriously. He thought the minister should be accountable for a portfolio. No doubt his boss, Malcolm Turnbull, impressed that upon him. Dr Parkinson thought the Australian people deserved transparency and oversight from the government they elected. This starts at the top—a commitment to accountability, a commitment to transparency, a commitment to just do your basic job.

What I want to say, as we head into estimates week, is a message not just to the ministers in this government—because I think we've made our point here: the ministers in this government have turned their back on their accountability; they have turned their back on this parliament; and they're turning their back on the Australian people. What I would like to say to any department secretaries who are appearing before estimates next week is it is the practice of Labor senators and frontbenchers to give notice to departments on the questions we want to ask, on the officials we would like to be there, on the matters we wish to explore. We do that as a courtesy so that they may come prepared. What I would like to say to the department secretaries is to remind them of something I believe they know, that they are accountable to this parliament.

While ministers in the Morrison government may disregard and may feel that they are not accountable to the Australian people—they may turn their back on their responsibilities—next week in estimates we expect answers to questions, not for our sake but for the sake of the parliamentary accountability, for the sake of the standing orders, for the sake of the Australian people, because governments in a democracy are accountable to the people.

Question agreed to.