Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Finance, no later than noon on 17 March 2014, any reports received from the National Commission of Audit.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion relates to the Commission of Audit report. It is a report that will inform the May budget and, potentially, recommend some of the most sweeping changes that this nation has seen in a generation. The report was due to be handed to the Treasurer at the end of January. The commission received an extension for two weeks, and the report has now been with the Treasurer since mid-February—almost three weeks. Despite some initial equivocation around whether the report would be made public, I am encouraged to hear that the Treasurer has indicated that it will indeed be made public. The question is: will it be made public several days out from the budget or, consistent with the coalition's commitment to open, honest, transparent and accountable government, will we have an opportunity to actually debate the recommendations in the Commission of Audit report—or will the culture of secrecy in this government continue?

Question agreed to.