Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute on Senator Lambie's very important MPI. We can't stress enough how important it is to treat this place with the respect it deserves, with dignity, and not treat the item of business that is formal motions as a joke. Currently that's what's been happening. For the past few sitting weeks, the past few sitting days, all we have been hearing is the same lines being repeated by the minister. I mean, if the government minister claim that we're going on a fishing expedition—well, that's what the Senate's job is: to fish for information that the government is trying to hide.

Again, Australians out there want to know: Why are you trying to hide something if there is nothing to hide? Why are you being so secretive if you've got nothing to hide? I was part of the Labor Party and campaigned heavily on transparency. The National Anti-Corruption Commission was the go-to discussion point in every conversation, at every door knock, basically saying that this was the government that was going to come in and bring transparency. In opposition they were pointing fingers at Scott Morrison for being secretive. Yet we find ourselves ordering documents that are within our rights as senators to obtain, yet either it comes back highly redacted or we don't get it at all, because it has just sat there. It's delayed, delayed and eventually deleted.

It's frustrating to hear the government say that it's quite a lot of work. Well, that's your job! You're in government. We have the right to get that information to then show it to the Australian public. And, no, we will not be accepting 30-minute briefs with the ministers, because what's that going to achieve? The public's not going to know what's going on. They want to see the documents for themselves. You talk a big game about efficiency, doing things right and being upfront, honest and open with the Australian people. They deserve to know. They deserve to know why you're standing in the way of senators in this place asking for documents and that you fail to comply. Months go by, and we have to put motion after motion asking for either compliance on OPDs or attendance by the minister. It's just turned into a circus. Again, I thought you guys were the adults in charge. It doesn't feel like it.

Do you know what I was really surprised by? Every motion yesterday had an amendment which the minister on duty read out in full, except for three motions which were moved by Senator Antic and swiftly passed. I was surprised. I thought, 'What's going on here?' Those motions wanted documents which related to Australians in the Epstein files to be produced. It's probably because the government is slow to show information on things that people actually want to know, like on housing, defence, the cost of living and price gouging, but, when it comes to the Epstein files, I think you are very curious in wanting to know which Aussies are in the files.

These delaying tactics are not based on any solid principles. They're based on the grievances that the government holds against certain individuals in this place that dare to ask the tough questions. Let me tell you, we're not going to stop asking them. We're going to keep putting these OPDs. We're going to keep demanding the answers that our constituents have sent us here to ask for. If you don't like it, tough luck. You're in government. Deal with it.