Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the minister to propose a schedule for consideration of the portfolios, I'd like to remind all members of the purpose of the consideration in detail stage and outline the way it is expected to proceed. Shortly, the Federation Chamber will be asked to agree to a proposed schedule for the times for consideration of portfolios. This may need to be varied upon. It is a useful guide to assist ministers and members to arrange their commitments. Chairs will not be seeking to enforce this arrangement strictly.

Consideration in detail is a debate, and the call will be alternated between the government and non-government sides as always. Even though this debate sometimes takes the format of question and answer, this is not question time. Ministers and government backbench members both will be considered as speakers on the government side, and should bear this in mind when they seek the call. All speakers are required to be relevant to whichever portfolio is being examined, but there is no requirement of direct relevance in respect of any responses. It might be practical for ministers to respond to more than one speaker when they seek the call, and I note that this general arrangement applied last year and seemed to allow maximum participation in this stage of debate. Each minister and member will have up to five minutes to speak each time they are called, but they may wish to speak for a shorter time. Ministers may wish to make an introductory statement when debate on their portfolios begins, but, as they are not moving amendments, that is a matter for them to decide.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the convenience of the chamber, I won't make an opening statement. May I suggest that it might suit the Federation Chamber to consider the items of proposed expenditure in the order and groupings shown in the schedule, which has been circulated to honourable members? I also take the opportunity to indicate to the Federation Chamber that the proposed order for consideration of portfolios estimates has been discussed with the opposition, and there has been no objection to what is proposed.

The schedule read as follow—

Home Affairs

Attorney-General's

Environment and Energy

Agriculture and Water Resources

Infrastructure and Regional Development and Cities

Communications and the Arts

Finance

Foreign Affairs and Trade

Health

Education and Training

Jobs and Innovation/Jobs and Small Business

Jobs and Innovation—Industry, Innovation and Science; Resources and Northern Territory

Treasury

Defence/Defence Industry

Defence—Veterans' Affairs

Social Services

Human Services

Prime Minister and Cabinet/Women

Prime Minister and Cabinet—Indigenous Affairs