Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

It's pleasing that the government eventually came to the table and agreed that it will release the report that is the subject of the motion that is before this chamber at the moment. But what we would say, in terms of the motion that's been put forward by the government, is that we will be seeking to vote separately on part (a) and part (b), because we do not believe that the government has satisfactorily complied with the order of the Senate. They have given notice of an intention to comply with the order of the Senate, but it is yet to be done. The opposition will not be in a position to be able to support part (a). However, we will be in a position to be able to support part (b), relating to the arrangements that currently are in place for question time to be revoked. However, our amendment to this motion provides the contingency that says that, if the government fails to actually comply when they have promised to do so, we will put in place the existing arrangements as they are currently in the Senate at the moment but will increase those arrangements such that the Minister for the Public Service is required to attend the chamber and give an explanation every day as to not only why they haven't complied with the original order but why they have breached the conditions or the commitment that they've given to this chamber this morning.

Whilst it is very late in the piece, I want to commend the chamber and particularly commend Senator Pocock for bringing forward this motion and working constructively with the non-government parties and members in this chamber to show to the government that you cannot be contemptuous of this place. To that end, I want to absolutely put the government on notice that, whilst this particular issue has a process with which it can be resolved that's been put on the table today and that the opposition will support, this doesn't say that the will of the chamber cannot be expressed at every other time that this government seeks to be contemptuous of this place and not provide the information that has been asked for by this chamber. We will continue to work with the other non-government members and parties in this place to make sure that we are holding the government to account and that they cannot abuse the power that they have because they are in government, because they do not have the numbers in this place when all non-government party members choose to ask the government to do something.

Can I also make sure we are very clear in relation to the amendment that has been put forward by the opposition to the motion moved by the minister, and that is that part (b), which requires the minister to attend the chamber for one hour until such time as the motion is complied with, subject to government not complying with its commitment, will take effect from next year—all sitting days next year. Part (b) of our motion applies only to that.

To Senator Pocock's amendment: the letter that's been provided by the minister says that they will release the document by 31 December, by the end of the year. We would certainly encourage the government, in responding to the concerns that have been put forward by Senator Pocock, to release the document as soon as possible. I note your letter only says by the end of the year; it doesn't say it won't be released earlier, and we would certainly encourage the government to release it earlier given that the document has been in the hands of the government now for 2½ years. The minister herself did give the commitment that she would release it, which she has now given again today. To that end, just to be clear, we will be seeking to vote separately on part (a) and part (b) of this motion today.