Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services) Share this | Hansard source

My assumption—I think it is a correct assumption—is that it was a unanimous observation of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee. I was a member of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee for my first three years in this place and I know that, by and large, the public generally do not understand many of the processes and procedures we go through. The Scrutiny of Bills Committee is very effective at picking up, if you like, issues relating to inappropriate drafting of legislation and at the general scrutiny of legislation. It is a very effective committee. Frankly, I would have to say I do not think we took enough account of it when we were in government, from my observations, and I do not think the current government takes enough account of its observations.

A unanimous recommendation that Senator Murray has referred to is correct: the rapid growth of special appropriations, which has gone on, I think, under a number of governments over a number of years, has got to the stage where it does require a consolidated recognition and registering of the growth of these appropriations in order that parliament—and particularly the Senate—can appropriately scrutinise in a consolidated form what is occurring in this area.

It is very difficult to scrutinise special appropriations in, I think, the detail that is required not just from an opposition point of view but in terms of the public interest and from the point of view of the minor parties. I know that in my time at estimates committees and other committees, for example, where I have worked with him Senator Murray does a great job with very limited resources—as Senator Murray and I were discussing earlier in the week—in holding the government accountable in this particular area. I think a register of special appropriations is necessary in order to improve that accountability. I do not think there is any reason, given the growth of special appropriations, why the government cannot agree to what, by any reasonable judgment, is a reasonable approach to ensuring an increased accountability in this area.

Senator Murray and I have co-sponsored amendments (1) and (2), which we have dealt with together. I will be moving amendment (3), which sets a time limit for special appropriations, and, again, Senator Murray is co-sponsoring that amendment. I will make a few short observations when we get to amendment (3).