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Senate Extends Question Time to Press for Briggs Report as Government Threatens Committee Reprisals

Labor says the Briggs review is still before cabinet, which it argues justifies keeping the two-year-old report confidential.

Overview

  • The Coalition, Greens and crossbench backed a David Pocock motion granting non-government senators five extra daily questions until the review is released.
  • The change lengthens Senate Question Time by about 30 minutes, shifting more scrutiny to ministers each sitting day.
  • The government has threatened to strip the Opposition of deputy chair roles on House committees, according to multiple reports and Coalition statements, though no action has been confirmed.
  • Finance Minister Katy Gallagher opposed the move, saying senators were abusing document demands and reiterating that the report would be released on the government's timetable.
  • Proceedings grew fractious with repeated quorum calls disrupting debate, as watchdogs such as the Centre for Public Integrity renewed criticism of the government's transparency record.