Senator MACKAY (3:04 PM) —I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Family and Community Services (Senator Newman), to questions without notice asked today.

The first thing I would like to do is go to the answer that Senator Newman provided to Senator Lundy. Senator Lundy asked a pretty simple question: what was the number of women on the Howard government's advisory committees on the GST and what was the role that OSW played in relation to the ANTS package, and GST in particular? It came as no surprise to people on this side of the chamber that the minister did not know. Why would the minister not know? It is because the minister does not go to OSW estimates. In fact, in the three years that I have been in the Senate since this government has been in power, I do not think the minister has ever gone to an OSW estimates. She is always represented by Senator Hill, who I suspect does a better job than Senator Newman would.

Senator Hill —I find it a learning experience.

Senator MACKAY —It would be more of a learning experience for Senator Newman, I suspect. That is why she didn't know. If she had gone to the estimates, what she would have known was that we asked Ms Goward, the head of OSW, precisely what involvement the OSW had with GST. Ms Goward confirmed that OSW was not formally consulted in relation to the ANTS package and GST in particular. To their credit, off their own bat, they put a submission to the government in relation to the ANTS package but they were not formally consulted. This is in relation to a piece of legislation that is probably one of the most significant over the last couple of decades.

One may say, looking at the record of this government in relation to women: why would the government bother asking the OSW in relation to the ANTS package? They probably would not want to hear it. Given their record on women, why would they bother with the consultation? There is a very good reason, and that is that the Prime Minister himself issued an edict that all legislation had to be considered by the Office of the Status of Women. On the ANTS package the OSW was not given the opportunity to be consulted in relation to it or to provide feedback. I wonder why. Is it because they would not have liked what they heard or is it more the case that they forgot? I suspect they forgot to consult the Office of the Status of Women.

This is extraordinary. Even some of the most unreconstructed ministers on the other side of the chamber in estimates are aware of the Prime Minister's edict that the OSW needs to be consulted. Even some of the most thin-skinned ministers are aware of it. Even Senator Macdonald was aware of it when I asked him about it in estimates.

Senator Faulkner interjecting—

Senator MACKAY —I thought that was extraordinary, Senator Faulkner. However, he thought it was quite hilarious that we asked a number of questions about women in his department, including how many women there are in the SES, how many women there are on overseas trips and so on. Then we go to the fairly bizarre answer to Senator Gibbs. Clearly, Senator Newman either completely misunderstood or did not know—I am not sure—but it was clarified.

Senator Faulkner —It was probably deliberate.

Senator MACKAY —Probably she deliberately obfuscated, I would suggest. However, it was clarified for her by Senator Faulkner in the final question. The bottom line is that Senator Newman indicated that the ads were placed on 15 October. We knew that. But they were not placed in the newspapers by the department: they were not put in the newspapers by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. They were put in by the headhunters—Morgan and Banks. Senator Newman says, `We're not about putting appointments in the back pocket. We're not about secrecy.' But I have one piece of advice for anybody who is applying for this position: don't put down that you are a member of the Women's Electoral Lobby; don't put down that you are a feminist; don't put down that you are an activist in relation to the women's movement—

Senator Faulkner —Or a girl guide.

Senator MACKAY —Don't put down that you're a girl guide; don't put down that you are an older woman; don't put down that your sexuality may be more out of the mainstream than the rest of society's; and don't put down that you disagree with the government. More particularly, don't put down in your CV that you disagree with this minister, because that is the ultimate sin. Senator Newman ought to start coming to OSW estimates. She ought to start getting across the issues. Senator Hill does a very adequate job, I have to say—and I would like to congratulate him—but we would like to see the minister there.

It is about time there was this much-vaunted reshuffle of the frontbench that was reported in the newspapers today. I can say that there would not be many that ought to survive. There is some very good talent—again, in my view, mainly women—on the backbench of the Liberal Party. I would like to see some of them coming forward to the frontbench and pushing some of these issues for women in Australia. (Time expired)