Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, , 3:40:34 to 3:55:07
The Parliamentary Librarian clarifies the reinstatement of ASIC search services and discusses the ongoing review of client services and access to paywalled reports.
Topics: Efficiency dividend, Government IT systems
Speakers: Steven Fox, Senator Dave Sharma, Senator Karen Grogan, Unknown Speaker, Jaala Hinchcliffe
>> Sorry, Senator Shan. I just placed my folder and I
>> Oh, no. Sorry. Just a brief question. This is for the um for the Parliamentary Library Service. Um Mr. Fox, I'd heard um I haven't had personal experience with this that some requests made to the parliamentary library for information uh that had previously been met have now been declined and in particular a service you previously provided to parliamentarians relating to ASICH searches. Is that correct? You able to clarify that at all?
>> Sure. Yes. Thanks, Senator. Thanks for the question. Um we had previously undertaken asset searches and we made a decision due to time and budget that and a decreasing demand that we would not do asset searches but there was a request from clients uh once we made that decision that they still would like that service. So we have actually reintroduced that service. We continue to do that service. Okay. What I would say is um we've previously spoken here about uh our service review work that we've been doing over the last 18 months and we are about to consult on our statement of client services with senators and members and this is an area we want to investigate in terms of we'll need to think about you know there may be some services that we cannot afford um moving forward and we have to think about what those are and talk to our clients senators and members and their staff about what the demand is for different services to then make some decisions around what we can and can't do. But we'll be consulting with with you all and through the joint standing committee on the parliamentary library as well.
>> Okay. So if senators wish to continue that service that should make that view known but at the moment >> that that service has been reinstated.
>> We will still do those searches. And I
just a related one, I'd also heard that they'd um the library had previously provided reports that might be available as part of news licensing agreements, usually behind a pay wall of some form. So Deoit's access economics reports, retail forecast, Roy Morgan's reports. Uh I'd heard anecdotally that some recent requests for um those reports have been declined. Is that correct? Are you able to shed any light on?
>> Uh look, I'm not aware of that information. Um, I can certainly take that on notice and come back to you.
>> Okay. If you could take that on notice, please, that would be welcome. >> That was all I had. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Fox.
>> Okay. Um if there are no further questions, we will um we will move on to the National Indigenous Australian Agency, but we will take a break for um uh to enable us to change up the minutes because we're so far over. We need to juggle people around the building. Um and we have been sat here for quite some time. So we will take a break and we will return at >> Welcome back everybody. Um, and I'd like