Given 667 of them came from one senator, maybe the department just doesn’t like her tone.
Liberal senator Jane Hume and former DoHAC secretary Professor Stephen Duckett have hammered the department over 931 unanswered questions on notice since the supplementary budget estimates hearing on 25 October.
According to data collated from the Senate community affairs committee and reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, only 62 questions were answered by the health and aged care portfolio out of 993 asked.
That highlighted “possible management problems” according to Professor Duckett, who was secretary of the DoHAC from 1994 to 1996, a Paul Keating appointment.
“Questions on notice are a really important part of the democratic process,” Professor Duckett was quoted as saying.
“Senate estimates should be about finding out what the facts are, they should be about looking at issues that might not yet be in the public domain.
“It is really important I think that there is this accountability, that when members of parliament and senators are seeking information, that we deal with that seriously and answer the questions as quickly as possible.”
The social services portfolio, in comparison, published 339 answers to questions on notice with 19 outstanding. Services Australia answered all 362 questions put to it.
Liberal Senator Jane Hume, who asked 667 of the 993 asked, said the Coalition would “never apologise” for holding the government to account.
“It is disappointing that this government’s commitment to transparency is clearly only measured by what they think they can get away with,” Senator Hume said.
“Questions put to departments that are not answered will be pursued, regardless of whether the government thinks it can hide this information.”
Opposition health spokesperson Senator Anne Ruston, who asked 96 questions of the department in estimates, said:
“These questions … pertain to important issues including the aged care taskforce, medicine listings, general practice grants and the prime minister’s broken election commitment of newborn blood spot screening,” she said.
“This government’s contempt for transparency is a concerning trend and reflects their attitude towards openness and honesty.”
Health Minister Mark Butler declined to comment, while the DoHAC said it was working through the questions as soon as possible.
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