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

by leave—I move opposition amendments (48) to (54) on sheet 5684:

(48)  Clause 14, page 18 (lines 23 to 26), omit subclauses (4) and (5), substitute:

        (4)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(49)  Clause 15, page 19 (lines 10 to 12), omit subclause (3), substitute:

        (3)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(50)  Clause 17, page 20 (lines 3 to 5), omit subclause (3), substitute:

        (3)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(51)  Clause 133, page 103 (lines 22 to 25), omit subclauses (4) and (5), substitute:

        (4)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(52)  Clause 134, page 104 (lines 8 to 10), omit subclause (3), substitute:

        (3)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(53)  Clause 216, page 164 (lines 17 to 20), omit subclauses (4) and (5), substitute:

        (4)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

(54)  Clause 217, page 165 (lines 3 to 5), omit subclause (3), substitute:

        (3)    A determination under subsection (1) is a legislative instrument.

Again, this set of amendments goes to appropriate accountability and parliamentary scrutiny and oversight. As is the case with many other functions of government, it ensures that determinations are disallowable, and those are the determinations that place funds into these three new infrastructure funds. We think it is appropriate that the minister should do so by virtue of a disallowable instrument. That will ensure that there is scrutiny on the money going into these funds and ensure that the source of moneys placed into the funds is open and transparent and able to be scrutinised by the parliament.

We do not think this is onerous in any way. You would anticipate that, in the normal course of events, no disallowance would ever be moved. But we do think that it is appropriate that there is the parliamentary opportunity to scrutinise the funding sources of the funds in an open and transparent fashion. So I commend this set of amendments to the Senate.