Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The government will not be opposing either of the propositions for committees to sit while the Senate is in session, but I just want to take a moment to draw the chamber's attention to the fact that one of these propositions relates to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to sit as a Senate estimates committee while the Senate is sitting.

While I understand that on this occasion that it is to the convenience of the senators on that committee, I do think that it is something that we as colleagues should watch as to whether there is a tendency developing for Senate estimates committee is to sit while the Senate is in session. While I am sure we all appreciate that there is the need for committees to sit whilst the Senate is in session I think that Senate estimates committees fall into a slightly different category and can have the potential to wreak havoc with the work of the Senate chamber itself, given that at estimates committees you have ministers who are required to be at the table, for instance.

I just thought that I should flag that because it is something that we, collectively as colleagues, should keep an eye on.