Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, Minister Gallagher. The MOP(S) Act review is due to be completed by the end of this week. Will the government immediately release the review when it is provided to the Prime Minister? If it doesn't intend to release it there and then, how long will it take until you will release that review?

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

Sorry, I didn't catch the end of the question—and I thank Senator Lambie for the question. I think it was around release of the MOP(S) review. I think the intention is to release that review after it's been provided and people have had an opportunity to be briefed on it. The intention is to release that review publicly.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, a first supplementary question?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Standard convention is that opposition staffing as set as a proportion of the staffing allocation afforded to the sitting government. What's the convention for the crossbench?

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

My understanding is that the allocation of personal staff across ministerial offices, opposition offices and the crossbench is at the complete discretion of the Prime Minister. That is a decision that falls entirely within his portfolio and he's made those decisions based on information and advice he's had.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lambie, a second supplementary question?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since the Prime Minister has never come from the crossbench, why should the leader of a political party have the power to set the resources available to his political opponents?

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

This is the arrangement that has existed for some time. It is my understanding that staffing levels in this building, and how many advisers people are entitled to have, is at the discretion of the Prime Minister. I think, from the discussions that I've had with him, that he felt that additional staff over and above EO staff should be provided to members of the crossbench where they had additional responsibilities, and that's what he's done. Everyone gets four electorate office staff, and I think in the Senate people have been provided with two additional staff on top of that. That means crossbenchers have six personal staff available to them. We also use electorate office staff, as members in this place do all the time. In fact, I'm using EO staff in my office when required to support parliamentary responsibilities. (Time expired)