Assistant Minister for the Public Service Patrick Gorman says the opposition is wasting time by asking "silly questions" in bulk at Senate estimates, after revelations the Prime Minister's office was instructing Secretaries on how to avoid answering.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"Some of these pro forma questions are chewing up large amounts of public resources," Mr Gorman told The Canberra Times.
"It has gotten to the point of it being a bit silly."
A spokesman for the Albanese government said it was "on track to answer more questions on notice than any previous government" and that, if current trends continued, "the government will answer almost double the number" in this term than the Coalition's last term.
"Senate estimates questions on notice have skyrocketed to more than 36,000 since May 2022," the spokesperson said.
"Individual ministers, departments and agencies are ultimately responsible for the answers that they provide to Parliament and its Senate committees."
Capital Brief revealed on Tuesday that the PMO had provided written guidance to the heads of departments and agencies on how to respond to such questions, with suggestions to refer to a website or say: "The data requested is not captured centrally and obtaining it would be an unreasonable diversion of resources".
It is understood that this guidance provided potential answers to be used only if relevant and accurate. However, it has raised concerns about the potential to obstruct transparency.
ACT independent senator David Pocock said Senate estimates provided an opportunity to scrutinise government spending and operations, expose their failings and "ensure they are rectified".
"Scrutiny and appropriate parliamentary oversight of the executive is a fundamental part of our democratic system," Senator Pocock said.
"It's really concerning to see Labor campaign on more transparency and integrity prior to the election, but then actively try and avoid it in government."
Shadow Minister for the Public Service Jane Hume, who has directed a number of bulk questions on notice to all departments and agencies - such as one seeking details of external retreats for APS staff - vowed to continue pursuing the government at estimates.
"The Coalition will never apologise for putting questions to government and holding them to account," Senator Hume said.
"It is disappointing that this government's commitment to transparency is clearly only measured by what they think they can get away with.
"Questions put to departments that are not answered will be pursued, regardless of whether the government thinks it can hide this information.
Mr Gorman said the Albanese government took "obligations to be accountable to the Senate seriously, but [we] do so in a way that's also taking account of the other obligations that sit upon government, in the efficient and effective use of public resources."
He gave the example of the National Australia Day Council being asked how many staff worked on Australia Day, why they were taking the public holiday off.
"Their job is to deliver the National Citizenship Ceremony, Australian of the Year - of course they're working on Australia Day," Mr Gorman said.
"It has gotten to being sometimes more a political interest than the public interest ... When it comes to guidance to departments, what everyone wants is that you comply with the expectations of the Senate, and do so in a way that's efficient."
Government Guidelines for Official Witnesses before Parliamentary Committees and Related Matters say department heads should consult each other when drafting responses to a question on notice that has been posed to all or multiple departments and agencies.
