Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Economics, I seek leave to make a statement on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2011-12 in discharge of the committee's requirement to provide an advisory report on the bills and to present a copy of my statement.

Leave granted.

The committee has endorsed the comments of this statement. On 8 February 2012, the Selection Committee referred Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2011-12 to the committee. The appropriation bills, together with other government documents, are subject to wide scrutiny by Senate committees as part of their estimates function.

On 9 February 2012, the Senate referred Appropriation Bill (No. 3) and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) to Senate committees for examination and report as part of additional estimates. Eight committees of the Senate will conduct wide-ranging scrutiny of executive government over the next four days. It was the view of the committee that it would unnecessarily duplicate the work of these Senate committees and possibly create confusion amongst witnesses if it attempted to undertake its own, concurrent examination.

The committee, therefore, has agreed not to inquire into the bills and recommends that the House consider the bills under normal processes.

Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—The coalition members agreed to the discharge of this inquiry by the Standing Committee on Economics, but it is worth putting on the record some of the background as to why the initial referral of Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2011-12 to the committee took place. The referral was done as a safeguard because we have unfortunately seen from this government's past form an increase in the debt ceiling that was pushed through as part of the appropriation bill. With Appropriation Bill (No. 3) and Appropriation Bill (No. 4), the coalition was very aware of its responsibility to the Australian people to ensure that once again the government was not attempting to increase the debt ceiling through the use of these two pieces of legislation. That is the reason the referral took place.

We on this side of the chamber will remain vigilant and steadfast in our opposition to the continued reckless spending of this government and to the lack of good control when it comes to debt and deficit. For that reason we will continue, where appropriate, to refer bills—even if they happen to duplicate some of the work the Senate is doing—if it means putting in place a safeguard to protect Australia's future and the Australian people from the reckless spending of the Labor government.