David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pursuant to standing order 74(5) I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Conroy, for an explanation as to why answers have not been provided to questions on notice Nos 543, 549, 553, 554 and 557, asked on 25 March this year, and questions Nos 927 to 949, asked on 17 August this year.

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

I thank the senator for his question. I am aware that the senator wrote to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 22 September in relation to 33 questions he was seeking an answer to. I can advise the senator that, of those 33 questions he wrote to the minister about, five have been tabled and 28 remain under consideration. The questions asked by the senator require complex consultation with many overseas posts as well as time-consuming data collation. Accordingly, a number of these questions have required significant effort to address. It is important to ensure that answers to these complex and technical questions are correct. I appreciate the senator's concern. The minister has indicated to me that he expects outstanding Foreign Affairs Senate questions on notice to be tabled shortly.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the explanation.

This is an entirely unsatisfactory situation. The foreign minister has had eight months to answer these questions, no matter how complex. Indeed, I have given this minister, in the Senate, almost a further month of grace because his good officers came to me and said, 'Look, we'd like some more time.' And we did give them some more time. This is typical of this foreign minister, who swans around over at CHOGM performing like a rock star but all the while treats this parliament with contempt. There are very many important questions that have not been answered because this government do not want to disclose the answers. They do not want any scrutiny and transparency is their enemy. I urge the minister to provide answers to those questions in a timely manner. Eight months is a disgrace.

Question agreed to.