Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, , 26:08 to 30:04
Senator Payman raises concerns about the accuracy of the Senate StatsNet website in tracking the timeliness of question responses and identifies potential technical issues.
Topics: Government IT systems, Integrity
Speakers: Mr Henry Pike, Senator Fatima Payman, John Begley, Senator Karen Grogan, Unknown Speaker
>> good morning. Uh, and I too would like to uh join in all the senators and acknowledge um your service uh and obviously the tragic events that have taken place with Dr. Helen Haines. Um my line of questioning is just around the uh Senate stats net um notice paper questions um just in terms of the timeliness of responses. Uh the page includes a range of response statuses including answered late. However, it appears that all questions um that were answered from the 47th and 48th Parliament are currently recorded as answered in time even where uh there has been significant delays. For example, there was question 475 which was placed on notice in February uh and was not answered until September. Um, so I'd love some clarification on um whether the department um is aware that this page is not reflecting um information accurately on whether questions have been answered or
not. I I' I'd have to get someone to look at that, but I um Senator, I recall that there was um some work being done to update the statset um application web page, whatever it is, um which went ary. So, I mean, I would have to have a look at that, but it's it's clear that not all questions have been answered on on time. Um I can't remember a parliament where all questions were answered on time. Um so it sounds to me like that is something that is simply not working. >> Um I'm very happy to get someone to look at that. Um there was some work being done on on the statset app and it's been put a little bit on the back burner. I think um I have a vague um recollection that um the relevant developer is no longer there or has moved on to something else. So um I will get someone to have a look at that and we'll come back to the the committee on not to send it.
>> Thank you. That'd be great. Um and yes, if we can understand what steps are being taken to address this problem. Um because again, it it seems to have sort of been across the 47th and 48th Parliament. Um so it's been a longterm seems like a long-term issue.
>> I think it was I think it was working and something has broken. Okay. I I think that it hasn't been not working all the way through the 47th Parliament. I think it's something that's more recent. Um but I'm trying to recall one very vague conversation that I've had about it, Senator. So I'll get someone to um produce the details or notice.
>> Correct. Thank you. And just um on notice, could um the department provide the prop the proportion of answered notice paper questions um on notice that were answered late during the 48th Parliament to date and the 47th Parliament.
>> Absolutely. Senator, thank you.
>> Thank you so much. That's all from me.
Chair, can I just steal the call back just for a second? Uh, just in relation to Senator Hume's questions about um the training that we do. We charge approximately $360 per person for what looks like a half day session. Um, but I said we'd table a list of the um of the training that we do and we will do that
>> Thank you. And chair, if I may update the committee as well, 9th of October, the Clark's job ad went live.
>> 9th of October. Lovely. Um, >> great. Senator McGrath,