Treasurer says audit inquiry a stunt Treasurer Joe Hockey says a Senate inquiry hearing into the Abbott government's commission of audit is a Labor-Greens political stunt. The five commissioners, including chairman Tony Shepherd and former coalition minister Amanda Vanstone, will face an inquiry hearing in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon. The inquiry was set up to investigate whether any of the commissioners may have conflicts of interest and ensure the audit process is open and accountable. But Mr Hockey says it's a show trial. "This is just a new year stunt from the Greens and the Labor Party, and it reflects the lack of maturity from the opposition," the treasurer told ABC radio. Mr Hockey says the commission's work will "eventually" be made public, when the budget is released in May, but its recommendations need to be fully considered by the government before that happens. We've given them the brief, we've given them the resources - let them get on with doing the job. He dismissed suggestions that Mr Shepherd or other commissioners may have conflicts of interest as "novel." The commission of audit - similar to that undertaken by the Howard government in 1996 - was set up to find savings across the public service and also consider the privatisation of public assets. Senate inquiry chairman and Greens acting leader Richard Di Natale said the commission had not published any of the submissions made to it and its processes were unclear. He said openness was important given that some decisions could affect millions of Australians. "There's got to be some transparency, some faith in the process, and we've got to be sure this is not just a smokescreen for brutal cuts," Senator Di Natale said. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians had a right to know what would be cut as a result of the audit. That's what these Senate hearings are all about - what is the truth? Mr Shorten said. He said the commission would have already settled some of its recommendations, given its interim report was due within weeks. The commissioners, if they don't provide answers to questions, have clearly been gagged by the government. Mr Shorten accused the government of trying to keep cuts secret until at least after next month's by-election in former prime minister Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith. The committee had declined to comment on reports that Mr Shepherd asked for its hearings to be delayed until after the initial report is released. The inquiry will hear from all five commissioners as well as the commission's secretariat and finance department officials involved in budget policy.