Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the time for the presentation of the following final reports of the Select Committee on Agricultural and Related Industries be extended to 30 June 2010:

(a)

food production in Australia; and

(b)

incidence and severity of bushfires across Australia.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I am wondering whether Senator Heffernan could make a short statement as to the reasons why, so that we can hear it publicly.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not normal procedure, Senator, in these formality motions.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a brief statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. With due respect to Senator Heffernan, after 2007, this Senate came to an agreement to restore the committee system which existed before the majority Howard government changed it in 2004. That committee system was to deal with all the issues that came before the Senate. There were, pre-existing, some special committees, including this one, which were to be wound up and were to have their business dealt with by standing and reference committees. This motion cuts right across that. It extends into the never-never a committee that ought to have been wound up in July last year if not earlier than that. The process is wrong. We ought to have kept to the commitment and the original committee system, which was totally adequate for dealing with these issues, ought to prevail. That is just good process, and that is the point of view the Greens have, so we do not support this motion.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a very short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, in response to Senator Brown, can I say that as Chair of the Procedure Committee this was discussed at the time of the change to the committee system that we have today. One of the things that was also discussed was that there had been a proliferation of select committees under the old system and we did not want that to remain. It was always agreed amongst members on the Procedure Committee that there should be up to three select committees that were allowed to keep going at any one time.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But this is blocking that process.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry, we said that there could be up to three. At that stage there were five or six. The others are winding up but this select committee has a specific purpose and I think we ought to correct the record as far as select committees are concerned. There was never a move at that time to get rid of all select committees.

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

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to 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.