Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I amend Government Business notices of motion No. 1 and No. 2 relating to the days of meetings for 2023 and estimates, as circulated. I move the motions as amended:

That the days of meeting of the Senate for 2023 be as follows:

Autumn sittings:

Monday, 6 February to Thursday, 9 February

Monday, 6 March to Thursday, 9 March

Monday, 20 March to Friday, 24 March

Monday, 27 March to Thursday, 30 March

Budget sittings:

Tuesday, 9 May to Thursday, 11 May

Winter sittings:

Tuesday, 13 June to Friday, 16 June

Monday, 19 June to Thursday, 22 June

Spring sittings:

Monday, 31 July to Thursday, 3 August

Monday, 7 August to Thursday, 10 August

Monday, 4 September to Thursday, 7 September

Monday, 11 September to Thursday, 14 September

Monday, 16 October to Thursday, 19 October

Monday, 6 November to Friday, 10 November

Monday, 13 November to Friday, 17 November

Monday, 27 November to Thursday, 30 November

Monday, 4 December to Thursday, 7 December

(1) That estimates hearings by legislation committees for 2023 be scheduled as follows:

202 2 -2 3 Budget estimates:

Monday, 13 February and Tuesday, 14 February (supplementary hearings—Group A)

Wednesday, 15 February and Thursday, 16 February (supplementary hearings—Group B)

2023-24 Budget estimates:

Monday, 22 May to Thursday, 25 May, and, if required, Friday, 26 May (Group A)

Tuesday, 30 May to Friday, 2 June, and, if required, Friday, 23 June (Group B)

Monday, 23 October and Tuesday, 24 October (supplementary hearings— Group A)

Wednesday, 25 October and Thursday, 26 October (supplementary hearings—Group B).

(2) That cross portfolio estimates hearings on Indigenous matters and on Murray- Darling Basin Plan matters be scheduled for Friday, 17 February, Friday, 26 May and Friday, 27 October, but not restricted to these days.

(3) That the committees consider the proposed expenditure in accordance with the allocation of departments and agencies to committees agreed to by the Senate.

(4) That committees meet in the following groups:

Group A:

Environment and Communications

Finance and Public Administration

Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Group B:

Community Affairs

Economics

Education and Employment

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

(5) That the committees report to the Senate on Tuesday, 27 June 2022 in respect of the 2023-24 Budget estimates.

I want to make a few remarks with leave of the Senate to explain the changes that we've made. I thank colleagues for discussing the Senate program and the estimates hearings. We have been working with senators to tweak the program that was circulated constructively, as Senator Chisholm said. The original program did not have estimates in February, as there had not been a MYEFO since the budget. The budget served as the MYEFO. The estimates hearings are being conducted, and in fact they're still under way. The next scheduled estimates would be after the budget. However, we have responded to the feedback from the Senate that they would like estimates in February. The government will agree to that. So one of the amendments is to have the week of 13 February to Friday 17 February removed as a sitting week and inserted as estimates. I would like to thank Senator Hanson-Young for discussions about how to accommodate the wishes of the Senate for an extra estimates week.

There's a further amendment which would move the June sittings up by a week and also remove the 'if required' out of that final sitting week in December. I thank colleagues for constructively engaging where they have. We've been able to respond as much as we can to get a sitting program for next year that meets everybody's needs, ensures we can get the business done and that we're responding to the wishes of the Senate for an extra estimates week.