Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

HODGINS-MAY () (): Pursuant to standing order 74(5), I ask the Leader of the Government in the Senate for an explanation as to why answers have not been provided to questions on notice Nos 111, 238, 272, 278, 279, 293 to 294, 301 to 302 and 358 to 367 asked during the 2024-25 budget estimates hearings of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee and the Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

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

Thank you, Senator Hodgins-May. I'm not sure. The usual practice is for notice to be given prior to this. I'm afraid I don't have any information on what you asked me. I'm very happy to take that on notice. It was with the rural and regional affairs committee, did you say?

Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes—three committees.

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

That's fine. It was read into Hansard, but perhaps if you could provide those to me I will ensure we get an answer to you.

Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move that there be laid on the table by no later than 5 pm on 17 September 2024 the answers to questions on notice Nos 111, 238, 272, 278, 279, 293 to 294, 301 to 302 and 358 to 367 asked during the 2024-25 budget estimates hearings of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee and the Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

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

I would ask the senator not to do that. The motion you've just moved is usually in response to an explanation. I'm advised that you did not give my office notice of this, as is the usual practice. I have asked you for the courtesy of responding to you and providing an explanation before you then proceed to the next stage. If you don't wish to provide that courtesy, so be it, but that is a courtesy that has been extended by people at that end of the chamber and by the opposition to governments regularly. I've indicated to you that I will provide an explanation as quickly as I can. If you wish to move that motion, so be it, but it is frankly a lack of courtesy to the chamber and usual practice.

Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm under the belief that my office has informed your office and also the relevant ministers for those questions on notice, but, with your response, I move:

That the Senate take note of the minister's response.

This Senate estimates, the 2024-25 budget estimates, were my first experience of estimates as a senator. I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get to the bottom of some of the really integral questions raised by stakeholders across a range of issues: cheaper child care, fee increases, community childcare fund, preschool reform agreements, childcare fees, inclusion support programs, childcare refugee and asylum seeker issues, issues really important in my local community of Macnamara around the closure of a post office without adequate information being provided, Indooroopilly roundabout project funding discrepancies—a huge range of issues that stakeholders and the public are expecting answers to and thought that they would have received by now.

We heard about the existence of a cheat sheet for Senate estimates, and frankly that was appalling, but I'm also really disheartened to know that we're having to chase up this information that was committed to being provided to us by the relevant departments that I've outlined today. I look forward to seeing the information being provided by the relevant portfolio holders and ministerial departments. This information is really important, and we need to have adequate lead time leading into the next round of estimates to be able to interrogate this information further and provide what I think is information that is in the public interest that we have a right to expect in a timely fashion.

Question agreed to.