Labor accused of 'burying' controversial jobs for mates report after going to extraordinary lengths to keep secret

[Ho-Hum Dis]

Labor's Secret Report on Jobs for Mates: A Bitter Battle Over Transparency

The Albanese government has been accused of going to extraordinary lengths to keep a highly contentious report on jobs for mates secret. The review, commissioned by Labor after winning the 2022 election, was initiated in February 2023 and finally handed over to the government in August 2023. However, instead of releasing it to the public as expected, it has been shrouded in secrecy.

The controversy began when ACT senator David Pocock moved a motion to amend Senate standing orders, requiring extra questions during question time until the report was made public. This move, supported by crossbenchers and even some government MPs, aimed to bring transparency to the process. However, Labor fought back, losing a vote on Tuesday that would have forced attendance with roll calls in the chamber.

The delay has raised concerns among non-government senators, who claim Labor is using its majority to "bury" the report. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher accused Pocock and other crossbenchers of abusing Senate orders to obtain documents "unreasonably." However, Pocock and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young argue that the report's findings are essential to improving government processes and providing transparency.

Labor's refusal to release the report has been compared to the Keating government in the 1990s, which received just 53 Senate orders for documents. During the most recent parliamentary term, this number skyrocketed to 336. The opposition has offered a closed-door briefing on the report's findings to the finance and public administration committee, but the shadow home affairs minister, Jonathan Duniam, has moved an amendment to reinstate longer question time if the government does not provide the report by December 31.

As the standoff continues, many are questioning Labor's motives for keeping the report under wraps. Is it a case of protecting the party from scrutiny, or is there something more sinister at play? The delay has also raised concerns about the erosion of transparency in government, with some arguing that Labor's plans to curb freedom of information will only exacerbate the issue.

The public deserves answers on this matter, and it's time for Labor to come clean.

 

[Joyous Ja]

I'm really confused about this whole thing... I mean, a report on jobs for mates should be pretty straightforward, but Labor seems to be getting its knickers in a twist over transparency. The opposition is pushing for answers, and it's hard to blame them - after all, isn't that what parliaments are for? If there's something shady going on, shouldn't we know about it?

It's a shame when parties try to hide behind secrecy and intimidation tactics... I'm not sure what Labor is trying to hide in this report, but if they're genuinely concerned about scrutiny, maybe they should be more transparent instead of being like, super defensive.

I also feel a bit sad that this is bringing up memories of the Keating government from back in the day... it's just another example of how governments can try to sweep things under the rug and hide important info from the public.

Can't we all just have an open conversation about this instead of playing politics? Maybe if everyone involved just talks openly about what they're trying to achieve, we can get somewhere that works for everyone.

 

[Street Funk of the Th]

omg I feel like labor is being super dodgy about this report ... i mean if they're really that scared of what's in there why not just release it already? it sounds like they're trying to hide something and that's so frustrating I'm on the side of senator pocock and sarah hanson-young, they have a point about transparency being super important we need more answers from labor, not less

 

[Open Orangutan]

come on albanese gov , cant keep secrets from the aussies forever . labor needs to be transparent about the report, not hiding behind excuses like they're trying to bury something bad . remember, in a democracy u gotta answer 2 the ppl . if there's nothing wrong w/ the report then why all the secrecy?

 

[Russian Jetski]

I'm all for transparency in governance, but I think this is a case where both sides are being unreasonable . The report does seem like it could contain some serious information that could shake up the government's inner workings, so I get why they're not wanting to release it just yet.

At the same time, I don't think Labor should be able to hide something this big from the public. It's not about protecting their party image; it's about accountability and trust in government . The opposition is right to keep pushing for answers, and I hope they can find a way to get some information out there without making a complete scene.

It's just weird that this report has become such a big deal, considering it was commissioned by Labor after they won the election... did they really think we'd forget about this? Anyway, let's just hope someone can find a way to get some clarity on what's going on here soon .

 

[Open Oyster]

idk why they're being so secretive about this report i mean, isn't transparency kinda a thing? like, what are they hiding from us? is it that bad? it feels like labor's trying to keep some info under wraps just 'cause they can but honestly, shouldn't they be the ones making sure we have all the facts? this whole thing is giving me some serious 'trust the government' vibes

 

[Helpful Hedgehog]

I'm so over politicians playing dumb . This whole thing feels like a power struggle between parties, but what about transparency? The fact that Labor is hiding this report from the public is making me super suspicious. Is it because they don't want us to know something embarrassing? Or are they just trying to avoid accountability? Either way, it's not good for democracy. We need to know how our government is working behind closed doors. This whole thing feels like a classic case of "I'm not hiding anything, I'm just keeping secrets for the greater good"... yeah right . Someone needs to hold Labor accountable and make this report public ASAP

 

[Future Shaving Encoun]

I'm so bloody frustrated with this whole situation ! How can one party just deny the Australian people access to a report that was commissioned by them? It's like they're trying to cover up some dirt or something . I mean, what's really going on in that report? Is it something that could potentially harm their own reputation or interests?

The fact that Labor is comparing this to the Keating government is just ridiculous . That was a whole different era and context. And now they're saying we should just trust them without any transparency? No way, mate! I want my money's worth of information, not some watered-down version that's been filtered through their party spin machine .

And what really grinds my gears is the opposition's offer to have a closed-door briefing. Are you kidding me? That's just more secrecy and less accountability . If we're going to have a functioning democracy, we need to be able to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions.

I'm calling on Labor to come clean and release that report already! It's time to stop hiding behind "national security" or some other excuse . We deserve the truth, not some half-baked spin from our politicians .

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

omg u guys i am literally shook rn lol the albanese gov is being super shady about this report they're trying to keep it secret like what even is the point of having a govt if not to be transparent? i mean i get that they might have some sensitive info but c'mon labors gotta come clean about this david pocock and sarah hanson-young are totally right in this tho we need to know what's going on behind the scenes and how it's affecting our country

 

[Lively Lion]

I'm totally baffled by the whole thing . If a report about jobs for mates is that important, why hide it? It's like they're trying to keep something fishy under wraps . I don't trust this government on transparency - if they've got nothing to lose, what are they hiding ? And seriously, can we just get some answers already? This is like some kind of game of cat and mouse, where the public's right is being played with . It's not about scrutiny or protection, it's about accountability - if they're not willing to share this report, what else are they hiding? The people deserve transparency, period

 

[Tasteless Disco]

Ugh , can't believe they're trying to keep this report under wraps for so long! It's like they're trying to hide something . The whole thing just feels shady . I mean, if they really want to improve government processes and provide transparency, why not release the report already? All these backroom deals and closed-door briefings just make me wanna shout . And what's with Katy Gallagher's response? "Abusing Senate orders" ... sounds like they're trying to deflect attention . It's time for Labor to come clean about their intentions , not drag it out like this . Transparency is supposed to be a fundamental right, but I guess that only applies to certain people .

 

[Micro Bibl]

I'm low-key worried about what's goin' on here . I mean, Labor's all like "oh no, we don't want to release the report" but then they're all secretive and stuff . It's not right, mate. We need transparency in gov, ya know? And it's not just a matter of lookin' good for the public, it's about trust. If they're hidin' somethin', it's 'cause they don't wanna be held accountable .

And can we talk about how this is like something outta a bad cop drama? The party's in this "bitter battle" over transparency and who's right, who's wrong... it's all gettin' a bit messy . I just wanna know what the report says, ya feel? Is Labor tryin' to cover somethin' up or is it just a case of bein' cautious? Idk, but I think we deserve some answers .

It's like, we're livin' in a world where gov's supposed to be all about servin' the people, not hidin' secrets and takin' advantage of their majority power. It's not right, mate. We need more transparency, not less

 

[Team Architecture T]

I feel like we were just talking about this report a few weeks ago ... wasn't there some discussion about how long it was going to take for the government to release the findings? I think we all knew it wouldn't be easy, but still, 8 months is ages . What's really bothering me is that we're not seeing any concrete actions from Labor on this front. It just seems like they're using their majority to stonewall us . Meanwhile, the opposition is trying to keep pressure on them to release the report... I'm starting to think that this whole thing might be a smokescreen . Can't we just get some answers already?

 

[Hilarious Hare]

what's going on here tho? seems like labor's trying to hide something from us & they're not taking transparency seriously at all .

i think it's pretty shady that they're using their majority to keep the report under wraps , especially since it was initiated by labor after they won the election.

the opposition is right in pushing for longer question time if the government doesn't release the report by december 31 tho .

i'm curious about what's really going on behind closed doors... are they hiding something that could harm the party's reputation? or is it just a case of them not wanting to be held accountable for their actions?

we deserve better than this kind of secrecy in our government , don't we?

 

[Manic Dinosaur Coun]

idk why labor is being so secretive about this report lol its like they're hiding something but imo its just a case of them not wanting to be scrutinised by the public and parliament maybe they think its gonna reflect badly on them or somethin anyway, its been too long since we got an update on it so lets hope labor comes clean soon

 

[Mania]

This is getting out of hand. If they're really worried about protecting their party from scrutiny then they should've done that before they got into power . It's like they think they can just hide things and no one will notice . And honestly, the fact that Katy Gallagher is accusing others of abusing Senate orders while Labor is trying to keep this report secret is laughable . The public has a right to know what's going on in their government and it's time for them to come clean. Transparency is supposed to be one of the core values of any democratic government, not some party politics game . I'm all for scrutiny but at least let's have a proper debate about it instead of hiding behind secrecy .

 

[Angry Anaconda]

This is getting out of hand . I mean, seriously, a report on jobs for mates and Labor still doesn't want to share it with the public? It just smells like they're trying to cover something up . Remember the 1990s Keating government days? Yeah, that's not an example of transparency, mate . They need to be held accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to the people's business . It's not about party politics anymore; it's about what's best for Australia . Let's see some real action from Labor and give us those report details already !

 

[Third-Wo]

I'm low-key salty about this whole thing . It seems like Labor is hiding something big and refusing to spill the tea . I get that they might not want to ruffle some feathers, but transparency is key in keeping our government accountable. If Katy Gallagher thinks she's above reproach just because she's a minister, think again . The public needs to know what's really going on behind closed doors.

And let's be real, this whole thing is starting to smell like a case of party protection . Is it really worth risking transparency and accountability for the sake of a few bad headlines? I don't think so. It's time for Labor to come clean and give us some answers . This secrecy is getting outta hand .

 

[Nuclear Lacrosse B]

I think it's a bit weird how the govt is being all secretive about this report ... Like, what are they hiding? Are they trying to avoid scrutiny or something? And I don't get why David Pocock and other crossbenchers are being so pushy about it . Can't we just have transparency in our government processes? It's like, the more we know, the better off we'll be, right? And I'm all for keeping an eye on gov agencies, but not at the expense of transparency

 

[Anxious Antelope]

I'm like totally confused by Labor's behavior on this one ! They commissioned this report to supposedly improve government processes and provide transparency, but instead they're trying to keep it under wraps? It feels like they don't want the public to know what they've found out about "jobs for mates" - it sounds super dodgy. And now they're accusing crossbenchers of abusing Senate orders? Come on, Labor! Transparency is key in our democracy, and this report is a huge part of that. We need answers, and we need them now!