MEDIA RELEASE - BILL SHORTEN REFUSING TO ANSWER SENATE ESTIMATES QUESTIONS, AGAIN

BILL SHORTEN REFUSING TO ANSWER SENATE ESTIMATES QUESTIONS, AGAIN

Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten has again failed to answer every question asked of him during Senate Estimates, including from his own Labor colleagues. 

Over 340 questions were lodged on notice by Senators during the latest round of Senate Estimates, with Mr Shorten and his agency, Services Australia, required to respond by 31 March 2022.

Shadow Minister for Government Services, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the Australian people deserved better.

“Mr Shorten is a repeat offender,” Mr Fletcher said.

“This is the second time in six months that he has refused to provide basic answers to questions lodged by Senators about his portfolio.

“And during the last parliamentary sitting week, he could not be bothered to speak to a Bill which will see his agency manage the transition of thousands of vulnerable Australians off the BasicsCard.

“Mr Shorten is demonstrating a distinctly lackadaisical approach to his Ministerial duties.

“On his watch call waiting times for Australians calling Centrelink have blown out, and over 1000 vital IT jobs have been cut. 

“But there are also other important matters that were the subject of Senate Estimates.

“Opposition Senators asked questions about Mr Shorten’s cozy relationship with the Community and Public Sector Union, his Agency’s treatment of family and domestic violence victim-survivors, and his lack of action on progressing a national digital identity ecosystem.

“Even Mr Shorten’s own government colleague, Senator Louise Pratt, has been left without a response to her straightforward question about Centrepay.

“The Australian people might well ask, what has the Albanese Labor Government got to hide?”

ENDS