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Thursday, 9 February 2012
Page: 740

Prime Minister

(Question No. 1487)

Senator Abetz asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 12 December 2011:

In regard to the answer to question on notice no. 45 taken on notice during the 2011-12 supplementary Budget estimates of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, in which the committee was advised that officials were not involved in discussions with parliamentarians and that clearly this disclosure was not seen as diminishing the capacity of members and senators to properly discharge their parliamentary duties, the question was asked as to whether the Prime Minister was involved in any discussions with any parliamentarians over the particular issue of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement.

(1) Was the Prime Minister involved in such discussions; if so, with whom. (The content of the discussion clearly should not be sought and is not being sought).

(2) If this information is not to be provided, can an explanation be provided as to why many other Ministers have volunteered that they have been consulted by Members of Parliament in relation to various projects.

(3) Does the Prime Minister believe that such disclosures have diminished the capacity of members and senators to discharge their parliamentary duties.

Senator Chris Evans: The Prime Minister has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question.

(1) The Prime Minister regularly communicates with government and cross-bench parliamentarians, including Tasmanian members and senators.

(2) and (3) The Prime Minister is not in a position to provide an answer on behalf of other ministers or speculate on the nature of responses to other questions on notice.