Wentworth independent Allegra Spender is up with the first crossbench question and it is on integrity issues, which the Teals are on a unity ticket with.

Spender:

The Attorney-General has asked us to be open-minded to the government’s proposed Freedom of Information reforms as a step towards greater transparency. Prime Minister, I might be more trusting if government showed greater commitment to other transparency measures. Publishing ministerial diaries and disclosing sponsored parliamentary orange pass holders as the cross bench has urged would demonstrate real commitment to transparency. When will the government commit to these reforms, Prime Minister?

Anthony Albanese:

I thank the member for Wentworth for her question and for her engagement on this issue, including yesterday, I think it was, when we had a meeting with other members about these issues. I say with regard to other reforms coming on top of our creation of a National Anti-Corruption Commission and other reforms that we have already introduced, today the Attorney-General has announced consultation on stage two of public sector whistleblower reforms, that will be important going forward as I indicated that would come forward. Freedom of Information is a vital part of our democracy but right now the FOI system is broken. The current framework is stuck in the 1980s and this was before new technology was there, before email, before smartphones and we need to keep up with that. Last year public servants spent more than one million hours processing FOIs. Not doing policy, not helping people out there with their issues…

There are a lot of interjections, so Milton Dick calls for quiet. Liberal La Trobe MP Jason Wood does not read the room, and tests Dick’s patience. Dick boots him out. Do not try Dugald Dick on the Wednesday of a second parliament sitting week!