Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Kitching, I move:

That—

(a) the Senate notes at the time of lodgement of this notice of motion:

  (i) 631 answers to questions on notice from the 2020-2021 budget estimates in the following portfolios remain unanswered:

     (A) Attorney-General's, answers to 76 questions,

     (B) Foreign Affairs and Trade, answers to 2 questions,

     (C) Health, answers to 22 questions,

     (D) Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, answer to 1 question,

     (E) Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, answers to 143 questions,

     (F) Prime Minister and Cabinet, answers to 323 questions,

     (G) Social Services, answers to 60 questions, and

     (H) Treasury, answers to 4 questions,

  (ii) 7 answers to questions on notice from the 2019-2020 additional estimates remain unanswered,

  (iii) 20 answers to questions on notice from the 2019-2020 supplementary budget estimates remain unanswered, and

  (iv) the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has the worst performance in responding to questions on notice from Senate committees considering estimates of all Commonwealth Government departments, being responsible for 53 per cent of all overdue answers, which is grossly inconsistent with its self-described role as being responsible for "Fostering a high performing public sector" and is a direct reflection on the Prime Minister; and

(b) there be laid on the table by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, by no later than 9.30am on Wednesday, 24 February 2021, the answers to all 658 unanswered questions on notice from the 2020-2021 budget estimates, 2019-2020 additional estimates and the 2019-2020 supplementary budget estimates.

Question agreed to.