Questions without notice and ministers statements
Budget estimates questionnaires
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:15): (153) My question is to the Leader of the Government. Minister, as Leader of the Government, I note that the Department of Health and Ambulance Victoria public accounts and estimates questionnaire is still absent from the PAEC website, as are others. These and all questionnaires were due, according to the website, on 24 May. Today is the 30th. Why is the government not being forthcoming with the general questionnaires, why are so many overdue and what have you got to hide?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:15): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. Ms Crozier, obviously as lead minister of the department of justice it was brought to my attention that the departments were working furiously to ensure that they could get the questionnaires in. They wanted to provide relevant information for the purposes of the committee. Some of those questionnaires are in, and others are certainly a priority for departments to get in.
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:16): Thanks, Minister, for that response. But according to the website it was due on 24 May, so I ask: with hearings starting on Friday, why are you limiting the opportunity for proper scrutiny of your government’s performance and spending?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:16): Ms Crozier, that is certainly not the inference to be drawn from a delay in relation to the submitting of questionnaires. In fact it would be open to the departments to submit questionnaires that would be less useful if they did not take the time to ensure that all of the information for the purposes of the committee was able to be provided. So to be respectful to the committee, to be respectful to those members and to enable proper, thorough examination, I think a thorough response will be due. As I have indicated in relation to the knowledge of my portfolio, DJCS is online, and I suspect that the others are not far behind.