Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

We'll be opposing this motion. We released the last BPORs after the last budget as a sign of transparency and accountability. That information was made public. What the Senate's now asking for is that we release our operational rules for how we're putting our budget together before our budget is put together. I am saying that is unreasonable. We did what the Senate asked last time and released them after the budget. I think that's fair and reasonable, but asking me to release the guidelines that we have in place whilst our budget is being put together is clearly asking for a document that's in the deliberation stages and subject to cabinet and ERC consideration.

I would note that those opposite never did anything like this when they were in government. They would never have released anything to do with the budget, and now they've got a new standard: we have to do it before the budget is handed down. Please, Senate, be reasonable if we're trying to be more accountable and transparent.