Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 19 July 2011:

With reference to the answer to question no. 164 taken on notice during the 2011-12 Budget estimates hearings of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee which stated that the 'draft responses to questions on notice 71 and 72 [from the 2010-11 additional estimates hearings in February 2011] were submitted to the Minister's office on 23 March 2011' and given that the answers to questions 72 and 71 were not provided to Senator Abetz until 23 May and 24 May 2011, respectively: what is the Minister's reason for the transmission of these answers being delayed for 2 months.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

Draft answers to questions on notice 71and 72 were provided to my office on 23 March 2011. Question 72 was sent back to the department for redrafting on 5 April 2011 and resubmitted to my office on 7 April 2011 for consideration.

The answers to these questions were approved for tabling on 23 May 2011.