Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the explanation.

I do recognise that this is taking a little time. Senator Cormann may have other important things to do. I recognise that Senator Cash has provided the answer on his behalf, which can be appropriate in such circumstances. However, it is important that ministers take their duties seriously and that they do answer to this chamber. They are the executive. They have certain privileges in this place and, in exercising those privileges, one of their primary duties is to be responsive to the Senate on motions such as this. I gave due notice that this was going to occur today. The government would also have been aware, from reports from their own departments, of the number of questions that were unanswered.

We have supplementary budget estimates shortly—within two weeks. What I do not want to see happen is what has happened in the past: you arrive on the Monday and the final answers have all turned up at 8 am, leaving very little time to go through them. There needs to be enough time to assess the answers and prepare for estimates based on those answers. It is important that ministers take this duty seriously and commit to providing answers.

These are important matters that the Minister for Finance should speak on. Under the Abbott government's watch, the budget deficit for 2013-14 went from $30.1 billion—as assessed in the independent Pre-election economic and fiscal outlookto $48.5 billion in the final budget outcome released today. In other words, of the $18.4 billion blow-out, over half—$10.8 billion—is due to policy decisions taken by the Abbott government, including the $8.8 billion grant to the Reserve Bank of Australia. Other key decisions by the Abbott government in 2013-14 included reducing the amount of tax paid by multinational companies. The Abbott government's treatment of fiscal policy for the 2013-14 financial year tells you everything you need to know about their political approach and their values.

Unanswered questions are just another brick in the wall of this opaque government. They lack transparency. They want to hide behind that brick wall and ensure that they escape scrutiny. For the Treasurer and the Abbott government it is about perpetrating budget manipulation to reward their supporters and punish ordinary Australian people. You can criticise me all you like for asking for questions on notice to be answered within a reasonable time prior to estimates. I will take that criticism. But you said that you would be a lot better than us and, to date, my assessment is that you are failing abysmally.

Question agreed to.

Pursuant to standing order 74(5), I ask the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection for an explanation as to why answers have not been provided to questions on notice Nos 467, 468, 486, 494, 515, 526 and 533 asked during the budget estimates hearings of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee in May 2014.