Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, , 7:37:30 to 7:43:25
A heated exchange occurs over the timing of the Fair Work Commission's annual report tabling, which occurred just as the agency was appearing before the committee.
Topics: Workplace relations, Integrity
Speakers: Senator Jane Hume, Senator Jess Walsh, Murray Furlong, Senator Marielle Smith, Unknown Speaker
Can I have a copy then, please, of the Fair Work Commission's annual report? Most recent one.
The Fair Work Commission's annual report.
Understanding is confirmed?
Is it published? I assume it is.
Tabled about five minutes ago. Now, why was it tabled five minutes ago? Why was it tabled not during a time when we could have had a chance to go through it and ask questions? Did you think that perhaps the Fair Work Commission would have left the building before we got a chance to get a copy of this report? What is this? What what is there why is there a problem with transparency? Yeah.
I think I think you know, Senator and you can um I think you know Senator. I think you know Senator.
Senator Senators, the Minister is Senator O'Sullivan. Senator O'Sullivan, you do not have the call. You know, you do not have the call. If you're seeking a point of order, you can do so, but you do not have the call. Senator Walsh, Minister Walsh has the call. She can be heard in silence, and then I will come back to you to put a question. Senator Walsh.
Um I think you can see, Senator, that I have um I had no information as to whether the report had or had not been tabled. Um I understand from Mr. Furlong and yourself that this report has been tabled. Uh and I'm sure that it has been tabled through the normal process of the Parliament for tabling reports.
So the Minister isn't even being transparent with you. And you're representing her. You didn't know that this was going to be tabled today. You didn't know that it was going to be tabled potentially. While the Fairware Commission was sitting next to you.
I don't I don't see the issue that you see, Senator documents are tabled in the Parliament. Bills are introduced into the Parliament. That is the normal business of the of the Parliament.
Annual report of the agency that is sitting next to you at the desk was tabled in the Parliament after your Minister thought that this agency would have left the building.
Well, that's that's that's your assertion. Why would I tell us I reject your assertion? You have the report. If you have any questions, both I haven't read it there like Funny enough team and we are here to answer those questions.
Furlong, is there anything in this report that you think would be of interest to the opposition?
I think there's a lot of operational information in there. I think that the opening statements from the President and myself go to a number of the issues that we've discussed today in relation to the disruption to our workload and how we've responded to that provides information that I'll put on the record today about our performance as well. And the uh and obviously KPIs and PBS and our and our financial performance for the year. It is regrettable, Senator, that the tabling of our report occurred today. As I understand, um, in an effort of full transparency and disclosure here, our annual report is one of the last reports, annual reports to be provided to the Minister's office. Um and so as part of that process, um I uh it is regrettable, and I apologize for uh the my agency's contribution to the late tabling of that report.
Did you know that it was going to be tabled today?
I understood that it was going to be tabled today with receiving notification uh either very late yesterday or earlier this morning that it's going to be tabled today.
Is that not something that perhaps you should have mentioned early on in testimony today for the sake of full disclosure and transparency?
I'm telling you now, Senator. You've asked the questions and I've responded as honestly as I can. Um I'd also like to sort of put on the record that uh every Senate estimates, uh every October round of Senate estimates while I've been the general manager. Um I think this might be my fifth or sixth annual report in this role. Um each of them have been tabled prior to the sitting of estimates.
Minister, this is becoming a pattern of behaviour of your government. That it's treating even its junior ministers with contempt if it's not telling you. If it's not telling you that annual reports are being tabled while you are at the desk with the agency. Whose report it is. No wonder your caucus is losing confidence in your Prime Minister. Well, if this is the contempt in which your Minister treats you, imagine what they feel for us.
I'll just remind everyone here that this process works best when statements are put as questions and then answered appropriately, Minister Walsh. If you seek to respond to that comment, you're able to, but otherwise, Senator Hugh might ask you to rephrase it as a question.
Um I think Mr. Furlong has given evidence that regrettably the report was provided a little later than he would have liked, if if I can paraphrase. And contempt the report has been tabled in the usual way uh in the parliament. Um I reject your assertions in relation to the minister needing to tell me exactly when a report was to be tabled. Um we are doing we are doing the important work that we have been talking about today, and that is what is important.
Thanks, Chair.