Simon Birmingham says Senate will demand answers on secret government manual
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham says the Albanese government needs to retract a document it has distributed which advises departments on how to sidestep questions on notice from Senate estimates.
The context: Capital Brief revealed on Tuesday that Albanese's office in recent weeks sent out the document which contains a series of templated responses on how to answer questions to multiple departments and agencies.
In the document, departments and agencies are advised to avoid answering questions such as how many external retreats and speakers they have organised. Instead, they should respond with: “The data requested is not captured centrally and obtaining it would be an unreasonable diversion of resources".
What they said: In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Birmingham said the extracts published in Capital Brief "demonstrate clear acts of contempt for the Senate and break Prime Minister Albanese’s promises for greater transparency and accountability".
“The Prime Minister has serious questions to answer about this document as to whether he has seen it, did he approve it and to whom has his office distributed it to,” Birmingham said.
“This move by the Labor Government is a new low and shows flagrant disregard for the Senate, the practices of Australia’s parliament and the rights of Australians to see their government held to account.
“For anyone to believe the creation of this manual clever would be sorely mistaken. The Prime Minister and his office should consider the repercussions of attempting to distort the procedures of a democratic parliament.
“I fully expect the Senate to demand answers in regard to the flagrant demonstration of contempt.
“Prime Minister Albanese would be wise to retract this document and transparently answer questions — avoiding doing so would only be endorsing its contents.”
The source: Simon Birmingham statement
