Albanese compliance with senate production orders roughly half that of Morrison

Compliance with senate production orders has seen a downturn in the current parliament, reveals a study by the Centre for Public Integrity, Australia’s foremost anti-corruption think tank. The research indicates that the Albanese government has a compliance rate of only 20.4%, in stark contrast to the Morrison government’s 48.7% over a three-year span from 2019-2022. During the Albanese regime, there were 28 public interest immunity (PII) claims within 211 days, compared to Morrison’s 47 PII claims over 1014 days. The Centre underscored the inadequacy of the PII system, which, it believes, compromises Australia’s foundational principle of responsible governance. A senate production order, deeply rooted in the constitution and legislation, enables the Senate to demand the unveiling of specific documents. The Centre for Public Integrity advocates for the incorporation of an Independent Transparency Monitor in the Senate Standing Orders, reflecting models used in NSW and Victoria, to bolster integrity and transparency in the system.

This is a summary of “Albanese compliance with senate production orders roughly half that of Morrison” published in The Mandarin on July 27, 2023, written by Anna Macdonald. Read it in full here