JOINT MEDIA RELEASE - LABOR SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY BY LEAVING THOUSANDS OF PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED

THE HON PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

SENATOR THE HON ANNE RUSTON

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care

Shadow Minister for Sport

Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate

MEDIA RELEASE

4 August 2023

LABOR SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY BY LEAVING THOUSANDS OF PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED

The Albanese Labor Government’s sloppiness and disregard for parliamentary accountability has been exposed again, with new evidence revealing thousands of questions remain unanswered following the most recent round of Senate Estimates.

Manager of Opposition Business in the House Paul Fletcher said the more than 3700 unanswered Questions on Notice cover a range of portfolios and shines a spotlight on Labor’s lack of transparency.

“The figures are alarming, with the Health and Aged Care portfolio accounting for one fifth of unanswered questions,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The questions pertain to a range of public interest matters and Australians deserve answers. Labor had the entire winter recess period to respond and have failed to do so.

“The Government has taken a wrecking ball to critical infrastructure projects, their release of details surrounding the Voice Referendum has been woeful and economic uncertainty is a major concern for many families.

“This is third time in a row that serial offender Government Services Minister Bill Shorten and Services Australia have failed to respond to Questions on Notice by the deadline.”

Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate Anne Ruston said that the extent of important questions that the Albanese Labor Government has left unanswered flies in the face of parliamentary scrutiny.

“Health and aged care was a key part of Labor’s policy platform going into the last election but they have made it clear that this was only a priority for them in campaign mode, not in government,” Senator Ruston said.

“As their broken promises continue to pile up, the Government is running away from transparency and due process.” The following table lists the number of unanswered questions by portfolio according to the online Senate Questions on Notice database. They are current up to 3 August.

In addition, on Monday Opposition MPs Barnaby Joyce, Garth Hamilton and Rowan Ramsey asked the Speaker to write to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, the Minister Department of Veterans Affairs, Matt Keogh, and the Minister for Resources, Catherine King, respectively, for failing to answer Questions in Writing for more than sixty days.

ENDS

Media contact: William Sparling | 0416 628 276 | [email protected]