Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is deeply, deeply concerning. To explain to those in the gallery and those who are listening what is happening here, the Greens, the opposition and senators representing their individual states and territories are seeking key financial information with respect to one of the largest social programs this country has—namely, the NDIS, which provides assistance to hundreds of thousands of Australians and should be providing assistance into the future for hundreds of thousands of more Australians. What we are seeking is key financial information regarding whether or not or how this important program will be sustainable into the future so that it can continue to provide support to some of our most vulnerable Australians. The government is denying us the key information that Senator Reynolds has referred to and which Senator Steele-John has referred to. This is key financial information with respect to the sustainability of that program.

Senator Reynolds referred to the fact that when she was the responsible minister that key financial information was being released on a monthly basis so that Australians—taxpayers and those with relatives, family or friends who are relying on this system—could actually see whether or not the system was sustainable. They have a right to know that information, and the Senate is seeking that information not for our own sake as individual senators but for their sake so that we can engage in the public debate about how we make this important program sustainable.

With barely a sentence—I don't know if it even went to two sentences—the relevant assistant minister at the table refused to give us that relevant information under the cloak of supposed issues relating to federal and state relationships. So the argument is that, if this critical information is provided to this Senate, in some way it is going to harm federal and state relationships. You're all thinking what I'm thinking—how? How would releasing information with respect to the financial sustainability of the NDIS affect Commonwealth-state relations? How? There's no explanation as to how. There's no evidence being tendered to this Senate with respect to any objections that have been received from state governments. I come from the state of Queensland. If the Queensland government raised objections, I would be the first to go out there publicly and ask the Queensland government why they were raising objections, as I'm sure the opposition would be in Queensland. We haven't received any detail with respect to how it would damage state and Commonwealth relations.

In fact, I put forward the contrary view: how can the release of key financial information with respect to one of Australia's largest social programs damage any relations? It's got to be a positive thing for the federal government, for the state government and for relationships between the federal and the state government. Then, the question arises as to why the Commonwealth government won't release this information in relation to the sustainability of the NDIS. Why? I'm coming to the same answer those in the gallery are no doubt coming to—it's because they don't like what the information says. They're concerned that if you become of what that information says, what the facts are, and what the actuarial evidence is, you're going to become concerned, and the promises that were made by those who now sit in the government benches will be proven to be wrong, that it's going to cause a political issue for them. That's why they're not releasing the data. That's the only possible explanation for why they're not releasing the data. The Senate is seeking this data not only on our own behalf but also on behalf of the Australian public and, most importantly, on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Australians who rely upon this scheme.

Question agreed to.