Ministers and public service chiefs would face greater accountability from July 1 under a Labor plan to tighten Senate rules.
Labor wants to lock in changes to the way committees operate, and ensure ministers answer questions, before the Senate changes over on July 1.
From July the government will no longer need to negotiate with Labor or the Australian Greens but will be able to secure the passing of laws with the support of six of eight crossbenchers.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Penny Wong, will on Wednesday seek the Greens' support for a raft of new accountability measures.
They include ministers not being able to hide behind a freedom of information request as an excuse not to provide documents, and tighter deadlines for returns of Senate Estimates answers.
As well, an extra Estimates committee hearing could be scheduled if three members of the committee request it, instead of a majority of members.
The hearings would be required to run from 9am to 11pm if senators still have questions, stopping ministers from shutting the hearings down prematurely.
Government department and agency heads would also be reminded of their responsibility to turn up and give evidence at the hearings.
Senator Wong said that since the 2013 election the government had used stonewalling, bullying and evasive tactics in the Senate.
"Labor's move to strengthen Senate procedures will ensure all senators have the capacity to do the job they were elected to do."
Share
