Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the days of meeting of the Senate for 2009 be as follows:

Tuesday, 3 February to Thursday, 5 February

Monday, 23 February to Thursday, 26 February

Tuesday, 10 March to Thursday, 12 March

Monday, 16 March to Thursday, 19 March

Tuesday, 12 May to Thursday, 14 May

Monday, 15 June to Thursday, 18 June

Monday, 22 June to Thursday, 25 June

Tuesday, 11 August to Thursday, 13 August

Monday, 17 August to Thursday, 20 August

Monday, 7 September to Thursday, 10 September

Monday, 14 September to Thursday, 17 September

Monday, 26 October to Thursday, 29 October

Monday, 16 November to Thursday, 19 November

Monday, 23 November to Thursday, 26 November.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I want to refer very briefly to the 2009 sitting program and the estimates program. I note that the 2009 program provides for one of the smallest numbers of sitting weeks I think we have ever seen in this chamber. There are only 18 weeks in total and four of those are for estimates. Fourteen weeks, therefore, are normal sitting weeks, four of which are only three-day weeks. In terms of the government’s accountability to this chamber, we are seeing in a non-election year one of the smallest numbers of sitting weeks that we have ever seen.

My and the opposition’s particular concern relates to the supplementary budget estimates, which in 2009 are scheduled for the week of 19 October. I regret to say and am profoundly disappointed that they are very similar to this year in that the supplementary budget estimates are being held before the due date for most of the annual reports of departments, which typically are required to be tabled by 31 October. That is why, for virtually all of the 11 years that we were in government, supplementary budget estimates were scheduled in early November in order to enable estimates committees to consider the annual reports of departments. That was for good reason.

I note the advice of the Clerk in relation to this matter that it is not a particular requirement and that the annual reports can be considered at the February estimates, and that is certainly true. But I would note that that is four months later. The immediacy of being able to deal with annual reports at what were typically the November estimates was a very important part of the estimates process. I appreciate that when I raised this with Senator Conroy in my estimates committee he was prepared to treat the matter seriously and take it up within the government, and I am sorry that he has not been able to influence the scheduling of the supplementary estimates. In the absence of that, I simply ask in good faith that the government does its utmost to ensure that annual reports are indeed made available by departments for those supplementary budget estimates in the week of 19 October. That should be possible. While they are not required, typically, until 31 October, 19 October is still 3½ months after the end of the financial year. I hope that the government will do its utmost to ensure that the reports are made available to those Senate estimates rather than us having to wait until four months later in February.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Having moved the motion, I would also like to briefly respond. Two things really come out of this. One is that the government will take on board the request to do our utmost to ensure that annual reports are provided in a timely way that allows for their consideration in supplementary estimates. I note that, whilst the opposition say that reports were previously provided for supplementary estimates, my experience over the last 11 years tells me otherwise. There were times when annual reports were not provided by the due date of 31 October, and in many instances if you were at the early part of the supplementary estimates week then they were not available to be dealt with at that time. In the Attorney-General’s and Immigration portfolios there were numerous occasions when the report was tabled the day before, during the day itself or during the following day when time was no longer available.

Having said that, the advice from the Clerk is that the following February estimates are available for consideration of annual reports, but I do recognise the request for annual reports to be utilised by the opposition to question the government on them and the financials that accompany them. There is the opportunity, of course, to deal with those separately, and I think that the opposition recognise that. In saying that, I will seek to do my utmost to ensure that the annual reports are provided in a timely way for these coming estimates. I will also do my utmost to ensure that in 2009 we take on board the remarks by Senator Minchin and do our utmost in that regard.

In relation to the sitting pattern, I have not had an opportunity to examine it in detail to see whether in fact Senator Minchin’s comments stack up about their time in government, but I will undertake that inquiry. Let us hope, Senator Minchin, that you are right. My recollection is that there have been varying sitting patterns over the last 10 or 11 years. This is not out of kilter with those. It is in accordance with the average of the past, as I understand it, but I will check the record.

Question agreed to.