Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Wong. I refer to the proposed parliamentary sitting schedule for 2023 that has been widely distributed by the government and which shows that the government wants to scrap additional budget estimates for early next year, a departure from practice in place since the 1990s. Minister, when Labor was elected, the Prime Minister said:

The Australian people deserve accountability and transparency …

Why, then, is this government scrapping additional estimates and reducing Senate estimates scrutiny from the conventional four weeks in a normal year to just three weeks?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are fortunate that Senator Birmingham has a loud and clear voice, because it was very hard to hear the question from the interjections.

Senator McKenzie, I've just brought the chamber to order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do love a question on accountability and transparency from the coalition, and I particularly love it on a day where we know that the House is preparing this week to debate a censure of your former leader for the double-up ministers that he invented. I'm asked a question by a man who probably knew about Mr Taylor covering up the price increase ahead of the election. Where was your interest then, Senator Birmingham?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevancy, point of order, the minister has gone nowhere near accountability and transparency from—

Honourable senators interjecting—

I haven't finished.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, it is a not a debating point. You raised your point. You're not in a debate with me. You raise a point of order. I ask you to resume your seat. That is what I expect you to do. I will draw Minister Wong to the substantive nature of Senator Birmingham's question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was responding to the request to talk about transparency and accountability. Isn't it interesting all of a sudden, now he's on the other side of the table? He was happy to protect Senator McKenzie. He's happy not to condemn the former Prime Minister. He's happy to defend Mr Taylor hiding a price increase in electricity before the election. All of those things he's happy to do, but now he cares about Senate estimates. If the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate would like to have a look at what is actually happening, you've still got estimates going. We've still got estimates going. Last night Senator Gallagher was again there, answering Senator Hume's questions. There was an air of great repetition about them, but we're very happy to keep answering the same questions over and over again.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: the question went to the sitting schedule, in relation to estimates, being reduced by 25 per cent, and Minister Wong has gone nowhere near the estimates schedule. I don't think the minister has mentioned estimates at all.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question also contained other elements, which the minister has gone to. I'll remind her of the question, and she has 14 seconds left.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Senate will be aware that we have just delivered a budget. Estimates hearings followed that. Spillover hearings are continuing this week. There will obviously not be a MYEFO, so there will not be estimates after that. But we are very happy to keep doing endless estimates if those opposite wish— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, a first supplementary?

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! I have called your leader to ask his first supplementary.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the government drop its outrageous proposal to cut Senate estimates in 2023 by a full week, and instead commit to programming additional estimates hearings early next year, as has been the practice on both sides of this parliament for decades? Or are the government's assurances of transparency and accountability just another broken promise?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I've said, I understand that the proposal involves a recognition that we have just had a budget; therefore, there is not intended to be a MYEFO. It is usual that additional estimates would follow MYEFO. I would anticipate that the usual pattern of budget MYEFO, with additional, supplementary and budget estimates would be returned, as we said post the election, to the normal MYEFO and budget process. Again I say no-one on in this place—I suspect, even on that side—believes it when you talk about transparency, Senator Birmingham, because we lived through nine years of your government refusing to legislate an anticorruption commission— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, a secondary supplementary?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government's proposed sitting schedule for 2023 also proposes four additional Senate-only sitting days on a Friday. However, the Senate standing orders provide for no established routine of business on a Friday. In the interests of accountability and transparency, Senator Wong, will the government commit to having a question time on any scheduled Friday sitting?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will work with the Senate—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Birmingham has just completed a question. The minister was on her feet answering it, and I've had to immediately call you to order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course we will work with the Senate on how Fridays would be arranged, just as we worked with the opposition and the crossbench on how we would deal with this sitting week and as we dealt with last sitting week.

Senator Birmingham, Senator Gallagher has been very consultative, including with your colleague, on the Friday sitting this week. I would anticipate the same degree of consultation would be engaged in by the government—which, of course, is very different to what we saw from those opposite when in government. And on that basis, President, I ask that further questions be placed on notice.