Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. A recent report by the Centre for Public Integrity revealed that the former Morrison government—this mob over here—honoured an appallingly low rate of just 48.7 per cent of Senate order for production of document requests. How terrible. Does the minister believe that the former Morrison government was a transparent government? I don't think they were.

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

I don't believe any fair-minded person looking at Mr Morrison's secret ministries, or the robodebt tragedy, would think that the standards of transparency and accountability to the parliament were sufficient. I would make the point, Senator Babet—because I'm going to anticipate where your next question will go—that, as a consequence of there being an agreement or a decision to remove motions from the Senate Order of Business, the ways in which the crossbench and the now opposition have sought to change that is by a very substantial increase in orders for production of documents. Senator Babet, I am someone who has been here for quite a long time, since 2002. I have never seen as many OPDs used as indiscriminately as the current opposition and crossbench are using them. That is fine, if you—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

My point is: because we have changed one part of the program—frankly, because it was being utilised in a way that the Senate had not envisaged—we are now seeing a substantial increase in terms of OPDs. Was it 10 today? If those opposite and those on the crossbench wish to use OPDs in that way, so be it. We will provide the information we are able to, and, obviously, information we are not able to provide will not be provided. Again, Senator Babet, I would have thought that we remember what Mr Morrison was like and we remember the lack of accountability to parliament and even to his own cabinet colleagues, when he took their jobs without telling them. (Time expired)

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

Senator Babet, first supplementary.

Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. You obviously knew where I was going with that. It's not your first rodeo! Obviously, my next question is: you guys, your government, are at 20.4 per cent—twice as secretive as the former government. That's twice as secretive as Scott Morrison's government. Why?

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

An interesting stat also is that in this parliament we've seen nearly a doubling of OPDs moved per day and an increase in the number—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

a 50 per cent increase in the number of OPDs agreed to per day compared to the 46th parliament. But I will certainly look at the—

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

Twenty per cent? That's one in five.

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

Senator Birmingham, may I remind you this is Senator Babet's question. He has the right for the answer to be given in silence. Minister Wong, have you finished?

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

No—not at all.

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

Please continue.

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

Senator Babet, I will have a look—we will have a look—at what is being sought. If there are senators who want certain information, the approach I would always seek to take would be offer to a briefing, if available. (Time expired)

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

Senator Babet, second supplementary.

Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for your response there. I appreciate it. Given the lack of transparency that we've seen, unfortunately, from both sides of this chamber, will you guarantee to the Australian people that all individual submissions for the draft mis- and disinfo bill will be uploaded for public view and that none will be censored, because I'm not seeing much transparency with the Australian people from anyone in this place so far?

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

Senator Babet, I have cautioned you before about the need for questions, particularly second supplementaries, to relate to your primary question. The minister informs me she is willing to answer the question, so I'll call the minister.

Senator Hughes, your constant interjections are incredibly disrespectful. Minister Wong.

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

Senator Babet, I don't agree with the use of the word 'censored'. That's a very loaded word, and in this context I don't think it's apposite. In relation to what occurs with submissions before committees, those are decisions appropriately made by the committee. Obviously, parliamentary privilege applies to matters before Senate committees. Senate committees will routinely make decisions about how they handle submissions before them, including the extent to which they are made public, which ones are made public, if all are made public and if there is material which is prejudicial or defamatory. The Senate seeks not to allow parliamentary privilege to be abused, and so there is redaction or publication within the committee. (Time expired)