Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for the opportunity he has afforded me to explain the government's performance in answering questions on notice from estimates. I'm delighted to inform the chamber that, for the May 2023 budget estimates hearings, our government has now answered over 85 per cent of questions. For the equivalent budget estimates in May 2021, when, of course, your government was in power, the Morrison government had only answered 67 per cent of questions by the due date. Further, the Morrison government had nearly a thousand unanswered questions on notice remaining when it left government, some dating back three years, and many Morrison government ministers returned answers from the previous round of estimates whilst the next round was underway.

We've heard a lot about transparency from those opposite this week, but let us remember the appalling record of those opposite when it comes to transparency. Who could forget former Prime Minister Mr Morrison secretly swearing himself into multiple ministries? We had a Prime Minister undermining our parliamentary system of government, undermining our democratic traditions of accountability and responsibility, and undermining the integrity of this place—and, of course, refusing to take any responsibility for it.

When those opposite had the chance to take some action in this place to improve the standard of transparency in government did they jump at the chance, Senator McGrath? No. They refused to act, and time and again they acted against transparency.