‘The questions process becomes quite flawed’: six-month wait on parliament queries

A series of questions asked by MPs to the government in state parliament have been unanswered for up to six months. The queries awaiting a reply >

Question time in the Tasmanian Parliament, speaker Michelle O'Byrne. Picture: Chris Kidd

A series of questions asked by MPs to the government in state parliament have been unanswered for up to six months.

House of Assembly speaker Michelle O’Byrne gave the Liberals the hurry-up on Wednesday as the parliamentary year drew to a close.

Regular sittings of parliament end for the year on Thursday, followed by a week of Government Business Enterprise committee hearings and a 13-week summer break.

“I am really hoping we see these tomorrow otherwise the questions process becomes quite flawed,” Ms O’Byrne said.

Question time in the Tasmanian Parliament, speaker Michelle O'Byrne. Picture: Chris Kidd

Among the questions are one asked by Labor in June about grants of legal assistance to public officers during the Commission of Inquiry, one by independent Craig Garland the same month about WorkSafe Tasmania and two from Greens MP Cecily Rosol in August about Covid-19.

Shadow Minister for Integrity Rebecca White has been waiting six months for an answer to a questions she asked Attorney-General Guy Barnett.

“Whether it’s repeatedly refusing to answer questions, or burying questions on notice for months on end, this Government is allergic to being transparent with Tasmanians and providing answers to the parliament in a timely manner,” she said.

“It’s just reflective of the Liberal government’s attitude towards transparency and accountability.

Labor candidate for Lyons Rebecca White. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sorell to announce Rebecca White former state leader of Labor as the Lyons Labor candidate for the next federal election. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Ministers should provide answers as soon as possible, not when it is convenient for them.

“We don’t expect Ministers to have all the answers – that’s why they can take questions on notice.

“But Tasmanians do expect their Government to be transparent and act with integrity.”

Greens Leader of Government Business Vica Bayley said the lack of reply demonstrated a “lack of transparency” and “profound level of disregard for democracy”.

“There are a number of important questions that the Greens have asked the Rockliff Government that they have not yet answered, despite being required to do so,” he said.

“On behalf of Tasmanians, I’m frustrated and angered that the Liberal Government treats the rules of the House that they agreed to with contempt.”

Deputy Leader of the Tasmanian Greens, Vica Bayley in Parliament. Picture: Linda Higginson

A government spokeswoman said some questions took longer to answer than others.

“The Government responds to many questions within the required time frame, however, a small number of questions require detailed analysis of information held across the public service,” she said.

“The Government is working to respond to the remaining questions as quickly as possible.”

The government tabled answers to five questions on notice on Wednesday.

Among them, the Attorney-General revealed nobody knew how many people had been dealt with under the government's anti-protest laws, as the data wasn’t being recorded by the courts.

Another response noted that 13,968 Tasmanians had their drivers’ licences suspended for not paying fines in 2023-24, 12,495 were suspended after they coughed up.

And it was revealed nobody had ever been sent to prison for not paying their fines since the penalty was introduced in 2008.