Albanese government the 'most secret' Australia has ever seen: Michaelia Cash

Right, you've seen all that detail now, Labor failing in their push to put those emergency laws through the Parliament today, confirmation of course in that inquiry last night that they are not urgent in relation to the High Court case. The appearance today, two of the Ministers, Andrew Giles, Clare O'Neill, have hidden from the media for many, many weeks. They fronted the media, they were asked particular questions, was this bill urgent and why? They couldn't answer them, they shut down the press conference and they ran back into Parliament House. It is a mess, but listen to this from Sunrise this morning and a whole lot of stonewalling from Clare O'Neill over those allegations she had her Departmental Secretary in tears. Our government's really committed to transparency, the information was requested of government, government provided the information. It's not just chaos, not just incompetence, but potentially conspiracy to deceive too and I think Clare, the question for you here is, did either you, did anyone in your office, did anyone in your government direct a public servant to either delay or to keep confidential information that had been asked for by the Australian public, by the Senate? This is not transparency, this is not integrity. You're actually sounding crazy right now. What the government... And you sound like you're lying, Clare. For more on this, I'm joined now by Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash. We'll start with that one actually, if we might, Michaelia Cash, because for me the issue is less about a Departmental Secretary in tears, only if we were in the room would we know that, but what she was apparently pulled into line about was her being transparent by the Australian people and releasing the crimes for which these 149 released criminal detainees have been put into jail for. Now for a government that was elected saying they would be transparent, I think Stephanie Foster's doing the right thing here and not the Minister. Absolutely. What did Stephanie Foster do? She did what the government should have been doing, Peter, and that is provide the Australian people with the truth. And I agree with those comments of Jane Hume. There are now serious questions for Minister O'Neill to answer. Did she or did anyone in her office direct the public service to not provide the information to the Australian Senate? That is an incredibly serious question that needs to be answered. But I say to Stephanie Foster, thank you for doing what the government should have and as I said, telling the Australian people the truth about the 151 hardcore criminals that this government, Ms O'Neill, Mr Giles, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, let out into the Australian community under their watch. There are very serious questions now that need to be answered, both by Mr Albanese as Prime Minister. What is his knowledge of what Ms O'Neill did or didn't direct the public service to do? Claire O'Neill today wanted to make this all about Peter Dutton, you know, it was his catastrophic handling of the portfolio. It was Peter Dutton this, Peter Dutton that. Now they've invested a couple of years, Labor, in demonising Dutton as being tough and vigilant and a cop-in-a-suit sort of persona. I can't see how they can flip it now and say he's soft on all of these issues and this is somehow his fault. Do you think it's plausible that Dutton will carry the can with the Australian community? Peter Dutton is renowned as a principled and hardline politician. Peter Dutton can stand on his record and the record of the former Coalition Government, in particular when it comes to the Border Protection Portfolio. The last time I checked, Peter, it wasn't Peter Dutton who let 151 hardcore criminals, including rapists, pedophiles and murderers, out onto the street. That is squarely on Mr Albanese, Ms O'Neill and Mr Giles. But I have to say, the performance of Claire O'Neill today, she almost made Andrew Giles look competent, running away from journalists on two occasions. Peter, all the journalists wanted to know was what we had wanted to know last night. You have said you have urgent legislation. It must pass the Parliament with no scrutiny. Can you just tell us what is the urgency? A very simple question, but one this Government is unable to answer. But Peter, can I just give you a few more dates? Because what we also found out last night was this. The Government identified an issue in February. In relation to this urgent legislation that we saw yesterday at 7.30am, they issued drafting instructions on 5 March. If it is so urgent, why didn't you bring the Coalition into your confidence back then? Because Peter, as we now know, the Government cannot articulate the urgency. It is complete chaos and confusion when it comes to border protection in this country under Mr Albanese and his hapless Ministers, Mr Giles and Ms O'Neill. Surely she has got to go now. Well as I said, there is poor performance in the portfolio, there is a refusal to take responsibility, but I have to say, questions now being asked in relation to whether or not a direction was provided to a public servant to withhold information that the Senate had asked for on behalf of the Australian people, well I have to say, that takes it to an all new level. This Government, Peter, remember what Mr Albanese used to say prior to the election, if you voted for me, you heralded in as a country a new era of transparency in a Government. This Government is without a doubt the most secret of Governments Australia has ever seen, and I say has ever seen, I have never seen anything like it. Look at what they are doing, Peter, talk about religious discrimination and secrecy. How does an Attorney-General of Australia gag faith leaders from talking about some of the most important matters to them? I mean on what planet do we now live that the Attorney-General of Australia, sanctioned by our Prime Minister, says to faith leaders, we will only consult with you if you are sworn to secrecy in relation to what we have told you. Peter, this is farcical, as I said, Seinfeld could not script at the moment what is going on in relation to this Government, but quite frankly it doesn't surprise me.