Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

There is an expectation from the government, which does sit on the Procedure Committee, that there are up to three select committees. There should not be, as Senator Ferguson highlights, a proliferation of select committees. There is a huge onus on people bringing forward select committees to ensure that they are there for a specific purpose and for a specific time. If there are matters that should be dealt with in a references committee then they should go to a references committee. The reason that we have references committees is to deal with substantive matters that may take some time and may require examination by senators over a longer period.

My expectation and that of the Procedure Committee—I think I am right about that; I am happy to be corrected—is that there are up to three select committees. They are designed for and confined to specific matters that would not be able to be dealt with in a references committee. Select committees are special committees. They also assume a cost to the Senate, and I am sure that, with budgetary constraints as they are, we do not want to provide additional costs that are unnecessary. I only want to put that on the record so that everyone in the chamber has the opportunity of understanding that these things are and should only be brought forward for specific purposes. If senators can ensure that specific issues can be dealt with through a references committee, then please do so.

Question put:

That the motion (Senator Heffernan’s) be agreed to.