Senator FAULKNER (Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (2:00 PM) —My question is to Senator Hill, representing the Prime Minister. Does the minister recall that Dr Peter Shergold, the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, recently described accusations of politicisation of the Public Service as `poppycock and balderdash'? Can the minister also confirm that the same public servant, when head of the Department of Education, Science and Training, was responsible for doctoring government reports regarding the HECS changes and the effects of the Howard government's higher education policies in order to bring them into line with government policy thinking? Isn't it a clear case of politicisation when the Public Service censors research and reports that are inconvenient to government?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —No, of course it is not. I am disappointed that Senator Faulkner would come in here and attack Dr Shergold in this way. I know it was the practice of the Labor Party to attack Max Moore-Wilton, when he was head of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and we assumed that was because he had not immediately come from within the public sector, even though he had given considerable service to the public sector in the past. But we thought that at least after Dr Shergold came in, and there was wider applause that somebody from within the public sector was being promoted to that job, the most senior job in the public sector, he would at least be respected and supported by the Australian Labor Party. That, of course, turns out to be too much to expect. All the Labor Party can do is attack the individual, and it does not really matter about the reputation of the individual, no matter how highly and widely they are held in public respect.

Senator Jacinta Collins —Have you got a brief on this?

Senator HILL —No, I do not have a brief on it. I am just expressing my disappointment.

Senator Carr —You don't have a clue, do you?

Senator HILL —I know of the issue but I do not have a brief. I am expressing my disappointment that, after seven years in opposition, the Labor Party still has not learnt that it is not going to get back into government by constantly attacking the man. I do suggest to Senator Faulkner that he recognise Dr Shergold's significant contribution to the Australian public sector and, therefore, to public life in this country, show him some respect, get out of the gutter and try to find some policy issues that are worth pursuing.

Senator FAULKNER —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. It is a general supplementary question to my original question just to help the minister, because clearly he does not appear to understand this issue, even though it has received significant coverage in today's media. Minister, I draw your attention to the provisions of the Public Service Act and ask: is the minister aware of APS values 1(a) that the Australian Public Service `is apolitical' and 1(e) that the Australian Public Service `is openly accountable for its actions'? Can the minister inform the Senate how the political doctoring of research and the censoring of reports by a Commonwealth department accord with these principles and the values of the Public Service? And, while you are at it, can you indicate how it conforms with the APS code of conduct?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —I understand, after giving further reflection to the matter, that the decision was made because of the department's concern in relation to the `methodological difficulties inherent in analysis of this kind' and the incompleteness and inconclusiveness of some of the findings which meant they did not have a valid place in the report. To me that is very convincing.