29th Mar 2017, 3:58 PM – Senate Motions - Ministerial Standards - Disclosure of meetings

The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon (NSW). While these motions are not legally binding - for example, this one can't force the Government to abide by the Order - they do represent the will of the Senate and so can be influential.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) on 23 November 2016, the Senate passed a motion known as Senate Order 20C ("the Order") requiring rolling disclosure of meetings between current ministers, senior officials and former ministers,

(ii) the purpose of the Order is to ensure that the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards is adhered to,

(iii) only one minister has so far complied with the Order,

(iv) during the estimates hearing on 28 February 2017, the Attorney-General could not confirm whether the Government will comply with the Order due to an alleged invalidity, and

(v) the Acting Clerk has provided advice that the Order is valid in a letter dated 28 February 2017, and tabled with the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the same day; and

(b) calls on the Government to abide by the Order.