❓ Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs about delays in releasing documents related to the Roe Highway Stage 8 section 18 application. The Minister defends the delay, citing the volume of documents, third-party consultations, and suggests a Freedom of Information request would be more appropriate.
AnsweredQoN 1383Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ROE HIGHWAY STAGE 8 — ABORIGINAL CULTURAL
MATERIAL COMMITTEE
1383. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to questions without notice 1037 and 1086, asked on
22 and 24 September, about materials and advice received by the Aboriginal
Cultural Material Committee on the section 18 application for Roe 8. What is
the minister's reason for the continuing delay in the release of these
documents?
MATERIAL COMMITTEE
1383. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to questions without notice 1037 and 1086, asked on
22 and 24 September, about materials and advice received by the Aboriginal
Cultural Material Committee on the section 18 application for Roe 8. What is
the minister's reason for the continuing delay in the release of these
documents?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
Can I point out that it has taken my department and my office
literally dozens upon dozens of hours to collate this response. These questions
were put as a question without notice of which some notice has been given, so
there was a three-hour gap. There are hundreds and hundreds of pages of
documents that the department and my office have had to go, because third
parties are involved as well. It is normally the situation that a question such
as this should be done through freedom of information. I have a response today,
and it has just been completed, and the member will see what I mean. The member
has requested hundreds and hundreds of pages of documents, in a three-hour
duration. That is unreasonable.
Hon Lynn MacLaren : It's been two months.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Hon Lynn MacLaren : It's been two months.
Hon PETER COLLIER : A s the honourable member will see,
it took a considerable amount of time. When we have third party consultation—as
the member may find out if she is ever in government with the opposition—we
have to actually go to those third parties each and every time.
Hon Lynn MacLaren : I simply want the documents.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Mr President, I am not unreasonable
with questions—never. I never, ever ask members to put questions on
notice.
Hon Lynn MacLaren interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : If the member can just let me finish. She
has asked the question and I am giving her a response. I never ask the member
to put questions on notice ever. I could have quite easily asked her to put the
question on notice and she would have waited for nine sitting days, which would
have been post-today, so she is getting the answers earlier than she normally would
have. The member has been around this place for long enough. To assume that
this question—this pile of documents is what I will be tabling—is
acceptable with three hours' notice is unbelievable. All I am saying is
that in the future if the honourable member expects a response in three hours
with that calibre of question, I will say what I should have said last time;
that is, I will ask her to put in a freedom of information request. That is not
unreasonable. I understand the honourable member's interests in Roe 8—that
is fine; it really is—but if she has interest in Roe 8 with a question
of this calibre, can she please put in an FOI request and I will give all the
required information, but not without notice. That is simply unacceptable.
The PRESIDENT : Did the Leader of the House actually have
an answer to that question.
Hon Peter Collier : I have given it. I will table the
documents after question time.
question.
Can I point out that it has taken my department and my office
literally dozens upon dozens of hours to collate this response. These questions
were put as a question without notice of which some notice has been given, so
there was a three-hour gap. There are hundreds and hundreds of pages of
documents that the department and my office have had to go, because third
parties are involved as well. It is normally the situation that a question such
as this should be done through freedom of information. I have a response today,
and it has just been completed, and the member will see what I mean. The member
has requested hundreds and hundreds of pages of documents, in a three-hour
duration. That is unreasonable.
Hon Lynn MacLaren : It's been two months.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Hon Lynn MacLaren : It's been two months.
Hon PETER COLLIER : A s the honourable member will see,
it took a considerable amount of time. When we have third party consultation—as
the member may find out if she is ever in government with the opposition—we
have to actually go to those third parties each and every time.
Hon Lynn MacLaren : I simply want the documents.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Mr President, I am not unreasonable
with questions—never. I never, ever ask members to put questions on
notice.
Hon Lynn MacLaren interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : If the member can just let me finish. She
has asked the question and I am giving her a response. I never ask the member
to put questions on notice ever. I could have quite easily asked her to put the
question on notice and she would have waited for nine sitting days, which would
have been post-today, so she is getting the answers earlier than she normally would
have. The member has been around this place for long enough. To assume that
this question—this pile of documents is what I will be tabling—is
acceptable with three hours' notice is unbelievable. All I am saying is
that in the future if the honourable member expects a response in three hours
with that calibre of question, I will say what I should have said last time;
that is, I will ask her to put in a freedom of information request. That is not
unreasonable. I understand the honourable member's interests in Roe 8—that
is fine; it really is—but if she has interest in Roe 8 with a question
of this calibre, can she please put in an FOI request and I will give all the
required information, but not without notice. That is simply unacceptable.
The PRESIDENT : Did the Leader of the House actually have
an answer to that question.
Hon Peter Collier : I have given it. I will table the
documents after question time.
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