Send The Postman Please
The Andrews Government’s tardy attitude to good governance has been exposed again in the Victorian Parliament.
The Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has revealed that some Ministers have taken almost a year to respond to important Parliamentary Committee letters requiring critical responses.
As a member of the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee (SARC), Mrs McArthur has previously raised the matter in the Parliament and in deed tabled a Motion relating to the role of SARC and its consequential requirement on Ministers to properly engage.
“It is good to note, that we have now had some long-overdue responses...(no doubt)...unrelated...to the notice of Motion I put down last month.” Mrs McArthur advised the Parliament.
“The Treasurer wins the prize with an 11-month delay, followed by the Premier at six months and four months. I understand the Minister for Health may now have responded to a five-month delayed request.”
Mrs McArthur said she believes the failure to respond in a timely fashion exposes legislation to the potential of parliamentary carriage before the SARC questions have even been properly addressed.
SARC’s role is to consider all legislation entering the parliament.
Among a raft of obligations, it is required to question if legislation ‘unduly trespasses on rights and freedoms’, is ‘incompatible’ with Human Rights or even impacts upon the Constitution or the ‘jurisdiction of the Supreme Court’.
It is a serious committee asking serious questions.
However, Mrs McArthur said in providing their responses, both the Treasurer and Premier dated their correspondence at times well before the Committee’s receival of their letters.
“The Treasurer’s response to the committee’s letter on the North East Link Act 2020 from March 2020 was dated 27 April 2020 but not in fact received until 4 February 2021.
“…the Premier’s response to SARC’s 2 June letter on the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020, dated 29 June 2020, was not received until 9 February 2021,” she said.
“Did they get lost in the post?
She said that while the Premier and Treasurer might have scant regard for the Parliament, they should at least have worked out how to send a timely letter.
4 March 2021