Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Chair of the Procedure Committee, I present the committee's first report of 2015.

Ordered that the report be printed.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

This report addresses a number of matters that have been considered by the Procedure Committee over the past few months, but it makes only one recommendation.

In the context of recent changes to the security environment in and around Parliament House, the committee is of the view that it would be prudent to strengthen the role of the Appropriations and Staffing Committee in maintaining a capacity to oversee security matters that affect the Senate and senators. While the Appropriations and Staffing Committee already has responsibility to consider the administration and funding of security measures affecting the Senate and to advise the President and the Senate, the committee considered that it would be appropriate for that responsibility to extend to security operations affecting the Senate.

This change mirrors a change being made to the terms of reference of the Security Management Board by the Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014, scheduled for consideration by the Senate this forthcoming Thursday. Accordingly, at the conclusion of my speech, I will be seeking leave to continue my remarks and to move a motion to provide for consideration of the report to be listed as a Business of the Senate order of the day for tomorrow. This will allow the Senate to consider the proposal and to adopt the recommendation before the bill is dealt with on Thursday.

The committee also recommends that the ex officio membership of the Appropriations and Staffing Committee should include both the President and Deputy President and that its name should be changed to the Appropriations, Staffing and Security Committee.

The other matters dealt with in the report all relate to the operation of the rules of debate. The committee has considered whether there is a need for the chair to have the power to suspend a senator temporarily but has concluded that this should be left to existing practice.

Likewise, in response to concerns expressed about the use of politically charged or inflammatory language to raise matters under standing order 75, the committee considers that existing practices are appropriate. The committee will continue to monitor the operation of recent changes in relation to estimates hearings and will continue to consider matters raised by crossbench senators about the order of the call. I commend the report to the Senate and seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted.

Mr President, as foreshadowed, I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the consideration of the report.

Leave granted.

I move:

That consideration of the report be made a Business of the Senate order of the day for the next day of sitting.

Question agreed to.