Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Collins, I move:

That, during the 2026-27 Budget estimates hearings, the hours of meeting of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee from Tuesday, 2 June to Friday, 5 June 2026 be from 9 am till 11 pm.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

I refer to my previous remarks about an earlier motion. Essentially, committees are being micromanaged on the floor of the Senate when they should be resolving these matters themselves. That is the normal custom and practice and had been occurring pretty happily. But senators who are asking for additional hours should stay and actually do the hours instead of nicking off early on a Friday night.

Question agreed to.

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Ruston, I move:

That during the 2026-27 Budget estimates hearings of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee from Tuesday, 2 June 2026 to Friday, 5 June 2026, the order of the program for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and Department of Social Services be as follows:

(1) On Tuesday, 2 June 2026:

(a) Department of Health, Disability and Ageing—whole of portfolio/corporate matters; and

(b) Outcome 3: Ageing and Aged Care and related agencies, including:

(i) Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission,

(ii) Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority, and

(iii) Inspector-General of Aged Care.

(2) On Wednesday, 3 June 2026:

(a) Outcome 2: Individual health benefits and related agencies, including Professional Services Review; and

(b) Outcome 1: Health policy, access and support and Closing the Gap outcomes 1, 2 and 14 and related agencies including:

(i) Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency,

(ii) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,

(iii) Cancer Australia,

(iv) Food Standards Australia New Zealand,

(v) Hearing Australia,

(vi) National Health and Medical Research Council,

(vii) National Rural Health Commissioner,

(viii) Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, and

(ix) Organ and Tissue Authority.

(3) On Thursday, 4 June 2026:

(a) Department of Social Services—whole of portfolio/corporate matters;

(b) Outcome 1: Social Security; and

(c) Outcome 2: Families and communities and Closing the Gap outcomes 12 and 13 and related agencies including:

(i) Australian Institute of Family Studies,

(ii) Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission, and

(iii) National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.

(4) On Friday, 5 June 2026, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Outcome 4: Disability and carers and related agencies, including:

(a) National Disability Insurance Agency; and

(b) NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

(5) That each day commence at 9 am and conclude at 11 pm.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has said that the previous two similar motions shouldn't have been brought to the floor of the Senate. The Community Affairs Legislation Committee tried to get a meeting to discuss this, and the chair refused to have one. We have done everything we can not to bring this to the floor of the Senate, and we would ask that, in the future, when committee members are asking to have a meeting to discuss the program, we be able to have one—not going around to other senators who aren't on the committee and trying to ask them if they can change it. We are over. We have tried very hard to do this the way that we should, and we haven't gotten anywhere, so we are using the floor of the Senate, and that is appropriate.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

We are actually voting differently.

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

Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat. I'm going to remind senators that this is formal motions. Every day, senators from various parts of the chamber seek leave. It should not be an opportunity for a debate. Leave is either given or not given. I'm not entertaining shouting out across the chamber or arguing. The minister has sought leave. Is leave granted? It is. Thank you.

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

I refer to my previous comments, and I understand. I would encourage all of those issues to be resolved within the committee, including acknowledging the role of the chair.

Question agreed to.