Question Time

Members, Accommodation Allowances

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): Mr Speaker, I would like to start with a question to you, sir. Will the Speaker commit to releasing all the available documentation regarding the Leader of the Opposition's travel allowances as soon as possible?

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: Didn't you listen to the answer?

The SPEAKER (14:16): The Minister for Innovation and Skills is not assisting me at the moment. I thank the honourable Leader of the Opposition for the question. As I have made known to the parliament in recent times, I think we now have come to the stage where, in the tabling of relevant country members' allowance information, we have seen the most transparent level for this sort of information during the entirety of the parliament, quite frankly.

In respect of the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition information, as I thought I did clarify further to the member for West Torrens' question to me, I am certainly open to it, willing to consider it, most likely to consider it. As I said, we just physically haven't got to it yet because of what we have been dealing with.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I absolutely commit to doing all I can to provide that information, but at this stage, to be honest with you, I don't even know where that information is, but I will come back to the house once I have an update. I think when you are dealing with records that are, from what I understand from the request, up to 10 years, obviously that takes some work. The files might be in security storage or otherwise. I will certainly make a commitment to do absolutely everything I can to produce that information at a later time, but when that will be I will have to come back to the house once I have an update. I hope that satisfies the Leader of the Opposition.