3rd Dec 2018, 4:46 PM – Senate Documents - Centrelink - Order for the Production of Documents

The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced at the request of Labor Senator Doug Cameron (NSW) and Greens Senator Rachel Siewert (WA).

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Government has claimed public interest immunity in response to the order of the Senate of 14 November 2018 for the production of a document, namely, the independent review by KPMG of the Serco pilot program, which saw an additional 250 staff engaged to answer phone calls at Centrelink through Serco;

(b) further notes that, despite this claim of public interest immunity, significant portions of the final report have been referred to in the media, including:

(i) by the Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation, Mr Keenan, in an opinion piece published by The Courier Mail on 30 October 2018 entitled, 'Adding 2750 staff will improve Centrelink waiting times, says Minister',

(ii) in an article entitled, 'Time to dole out the facts', published by The Courier Mail on 30 October 2018, in which the Minister is quoted referencing the findings of the report,

(iii) in an news item entitled, 'Hundreds of Centrelink call centre jobs are set to be privatised', by Channel Seven on 30 October 2018,

(iv) in a report on the Channel Nine Today Show on 30 October 2018, and

(v) in an article entitled, 'Coalition defends Centrelink contractors', published by the Canberra Times on 31 October 2018 in which the Minister is quoted referencing the findings of the report;

(c) in light of the publication of significant portions of the document, including by the Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation, is of the view that there can be no legitimate claim that the public interest is served by withholding the document; and

(d) insists that there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation, by no later than 9 am on 5 December 2018, the independent review by KPMG of the Serco pilot program.