Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I want to refer very briefly to the 2009 sitting program and the estimates program. I note that the 2009 program provides for one of the smallest numbers of sitting weeks I think we have ever seen in this chamber. There are only 18 weeks in total and four of those are for estimates. Fourteen weeks, therefore, are normal sitting weeks, four of which are only three-day weeks. In terms of the government’s accountability to this chamber, we are seeing in a non-election year one of the smallest numbers of sitting weeks that we have ever seen.

My and the opposition’s particular concern relates to the supplementary budget estimates, which in 2009 are scheduled for the week of 19 October. I regret to say and am profoundly disappointed that they are very similar to this year in that the supplementary budget estimates are being held before the due date for most of the annual reports of departments, which typically are required to be tabled by 31 October. That is why, for virtually all of the 11 years that we were in government, supplementary budget estimates were scheduled in early November in order to enable estimates committees to consider the annual reports of departments. That was for good reason.

I note the advice of the Clerk in relation to this matter that it is not a particular requirement and that the annual reports can be considered at the February estimates, and that is certainly true. But I would note that that is four months later. The immediacy of being able to deal with annual reports at what were typically the November estimates was a very important part of the estimates process. I appreciate that when I raised this with Senator Conroy in my estimates committee he was prepared to treat the matter seriously and take it up within the government, and I am sorry that he has not been able to influence the scheduling of the supplementary estimates. In the absence of that, I simply ask in good faith that the government does its utmost to ensure that annual reports are indeed made available by departments for those supplementary budget estimates in the week of 19 October. That should be possible. While they are not required, typically, until 31 October, 19 October is still 3½ months after the end of the financial year. I hope that the government will do its utmost to ensure that the reports are made available to those Senate estimates rather than us having to wait until four months later in February.