Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the explanation.

I rise to take note of the minister's response, and I appreciate Senator McAllister coming in to let us know that. But it really begs the question—over a million documents. Please note that our request for the production of documents was only pertaining to documents produced since May 2022, since this government came into power. Clearly, if they've been producing over a million documents in that amount of time, that will explain why the government has failed to adequately consult on an amendment that will be before this chamber in the very near future.

The most obvious change since this government came to power is the absolute move away from having an open, transparent and accountable government. I note that the same observation was made this morning by Senator Steele-John, and I couldn't agree more. What we have seen from this government is a flagrant abuse of the promise for transparency that it made prior to election. They ignore those on the front line, whether they be irrigation communities, pharmacists or Western Australian farmers, and they ignore industrial relations and even some arts and communications policies. The government are not being accountable to the people whose lives are impacted by their policies.

The reason we've requested these documents is that the government's policy in the area of water has had a significant impact on irrigation communities. We need the government to be accountable. We need to understand the conversations and assessments the government have had in developing their policy. The government announced on 22 August 2023 that they had reached an agreement with all the basin jurisdictions, bar Victoria, to deliver the Basin Plan in full. One of the specific requests in our OPD was for the government to provide that agreement. Why does that take time to review? That should be in the top drawer. That should just be a matter of, 'Here's that agreement.'

We also want any documents that have been produced pertaining to the December 2018 Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council agreement. In such, has any position changed since this government took effect? That should be on the minister's desk, in the briefing folders. The minister must be considering options for delivering the 450 gigalitres of water for supposed enhanced environmental outcomes that she's considering. The minister should also understand what water recovery options she's looking at and how they're funded. But the government, in their efforts at 'transparency', in the budget papers put 'not for publication'.

Let me remind people that when Senator Penny Wong was the Minister for Climate Change and Water she was very quick and very proud in announcing how many millions of dollars she was going to spend on buybacks and tearing water away from communities. But the new government, because they know how destructive it is and because they know no amount of public spending can make up for the demise of our rural and regional communities, are saying: 'We're not telling you that. It's commercial-in-confidence.' A tender process does not need to be commercial-in-confidence if you know the quantum of money you've got to spend.

The government, by refusing to produce any documents until after this chamber has dealt with and voted on the very important matters related to water amendments before us, are absolutely throwing mud in the faces of those in this chamber. It is disrespectful.