Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to change tack a little bit and go back to a question I asked earlier about the continuing appropriation of indefinite amounts in clause 63, on page 51. I have had a chance to look at the Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest in the time since I first asked the question. I understand that the Scrutiny of Bills Committee normally table their reports on Wednesdays, but, in fact, they tabled this report yesterday specifically on these bills and it was sent under a covering letter to the minister in time for his consideration and response prior to debating this legislation today. My first question is: why is there not a response from the minister in relation to this Alert Digest? When I chaired that committee, and when the committee went out of its way to meet specifically and specially on certain legislation that was deemed to be highly important and to unprecedentedly table a report earlier than it normally does in a sitting week, it was customary, if not courteous, for the minister to at least respond prior to the second reading stage of the bill.