SENATOR LOUISE PRATT

SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

DEPUTY CHAIR, LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

The Attorney-General continues to treat the Senate with contempt, with three times as many estimates questions overdue as any other Minister - some of which are now nine months overdue.

The questions Senator Brandis is refusing to answer includes such embarrassing issues for the Attorney-General as the Bell litigation, Liberal donors and the appointment of Liberal figures to the Administrative Appeals Tribunals.  

Labor Senator Louise Pratt, Deputy Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, has called for these questions to be answered before Additional Estimates commences next week.

“The Attorney General must take seriously his responsibilities to the Senate and its parliamentary committees.

“His record already shows that he does not value transparency or accountability. This is yet another example of Senator Brandis trying to hide important facts from the Australian public. Senator Brandis must answer overdue questions.

“The Australian people deserve to see that the processes of the Senate and estimates are properly followed.”