Coalition’s Jane Hume unapologetic for 13,000 questions to departments including 300 on paper costs

Senate is ‘only place this Labor government is unable to escape accountability’, Liberal says

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An opposition senator accused of wasting the time of public servants by submitting nearly 13,000 formal written questions in two years – including more than 300 about the use of paper – has accused Labor of hypocrisy and vowed not to slow down.

Government officials face grillings over their agency’s finances and dealings over four weeks each year during the Senate estimates process, including a two-week block of hearings in the weeks after the federal budget.

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