Kimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Under standing order 74(5)(a) I rise to seek an explanation from the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. The unanswered portfolio questions are as follows: Nos 2026, 2027, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2045, 2051, 2052, 2053, 2055, 2059, 2065, 2066, 2072, 2077, 2078, 2272, 2357, 2358, 2426, 2427 and—at long last—2972.

These questions have remained unanswered for some time and it's not just the problem of not answering those questions—of not providing responses to those questions on notice—there's a larger problem for the Prime Minister and his government. Clause 74 of the Senate standing orders provides that a minister has 30 days in which to provide an answer to a question. As at midday today, 15 March 2021, there are 22 overdue questions on notice lodged via the Table Office. The oldest of those is 151 days overdue.

As an ardent question-on-notice lodger—