6 Dec 2006

Ministerial Responsibility? Moi?

Kerry O'Brien ripped into Amanda Vanstone last night, as these 7.30 Report transcripts show:
KERRY O’BRIEN: Senator, the Government has been there for nearly 11 years. You were there, you and your predecessors in this Government were responsible for the Immigration Department for 10 years up to 2005, the most recent case that we've investigated.

AMANDA VANSTONE: Mmm.

KERRY O’BRIEN: Who takes responsibility for the actions of the departmental officers that you employ and run?

AMANDA VANSTONE: Kerry, I've already indicated to you, and I'll say it again, that the systems in a department, the culture in a department, get to an inadequate situation - and they did get to that - and -

KERRY O’BRIEN: When does ministerial responsibility come into it?

AMANDA VANSTONE: Kerry, Kerry.

KERRY O’BRIEN: When does ministerial responsibility come into it?

AMANDA VANSTONE: I'm only going to start answering the same question the same way...
Labour today renewed calls for her resignation.