Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, I suspect we will have to agree to disagree to some extent. I think it is odd that you would want to pursue this via an annual report in any event. It is obviously far more timely for the type of information you are seeking to be available on the website, which is where, as I understand it, the bulk of information is provided. As I indicated before, if you think what is provided on the website can be enhanced, then I am sure the government will be happy to have those discussions and consider any practical suggestions that you may make.

You suggested that the removal of some of these requirements from previous legislation snuck through without people seeing them. I make the general observation that my recollection is that some of the objects around the PGPA Act, as it passed through, were to try to better align some of the requirements for annual reports across different agencies and entities of the government. Obviously, this would be a regressive step in what is meant to be a simplified and more consistent process around annual reports.

There are other means to get the type of information that you claim is unavailable. I will take you at your word, but certainly my understanding is that we publish the methodology, it is reviewed regularly, there is a report made available within 14 days following the review and evaluation templates are published on the website already. In the end, regardless of how much of that sort of information is provided, sometimes you would still need to take the time to drill down in estimates or elsewhere with the agency about what some of the underlying assumptions are. There would be many assumptions in such modelling. It may not be the case that they will be neatly spelt out in the consistent manner that you are seeking, which is why all of the other avenues for scrutiny exist across the government.