Annual Report 2020-21


Introduction

1.1     The Standing Committee on Appropriations, Staffing and Security is appointed under Senate Standing Order 19. The committee inquires into:

  • proposals for the annual estimates and the additional estimates for the Senate;1
  • proposals to vary the staff structure of the Senate, and staffing and recruitment policies;2
  • the administration, operation and funding of security measures affecting the Senate, and advises the President and the Senate as appropriate;3
  • proposed changes in the structure and responsibilities of the parliamentary departments;4
  • the administration and funding of information and communications technology services for the Parliament,5 and
  • other matters as are referred by the Senate.

1.2     The committee makes this annual report to the Senate in accordance with Standing Order 19(3)(c).

1.3     The committee is chaired by the President of the Senate and includes the Deputy President and eight other senators. The Senate Leaders of the Government and the Opposition are ex officio members.6

Committee membership

1.4     During the 2020-21 financial year, the following senators were committee members:

  • President of the Senate, Senator the Hon. Scott Ryan (Chair)
  • Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Sue Lines
  • Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann) (to 30 October 2020)
  • Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham) (from 30 October 2020)
  • Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator the Hon. Penny Wong)
  • Senator Raff Ciccone (appointed 2 July 2019)
  • Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam (appointed 2 July 2019)
  • Senator Katy Gallagher (appointed 2 July 2019)
  • Senator the Hon Anne Ruston (appointed 2 July 2019)
  • Senator Dean Smith (appointed 2 July 2019)

Committee activities

1.5     During the reporting period, the committee met on five occasions and tabled three reports:

  • 62nd Report: Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2020-21 (tabled on 8 October 2020);
  • Annual Report 2019-20 (tabled on 19 November 2020); and
  • 63rd Report: Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2021-22 (tabled on 25 May 2021).

Estimates for the Senate department

1.6     The committee received and noted quarterly updates on the financial position of the Department of the Senate throughout the year as well as the annual report of the department's Audit Committee.

Security and information technology

1.7     At each meeting of the committee the Chair updated the committee on matters pertaining to security, information technology and building works relevant to the Senate and senators, including the following:

3 September 2020, the committee:

  • received an update on building works at Parliament House;
  • received an update on the Electronic Access Control System (EACS) rollout;
  • considered the EACS Quarterly report;
  • received an update on the CCTV Code of Practice Review;
  • noted the CCTV Quarterly Report; and
  • received an update on ICT issues including videoconferencing, remote participation, and planned network security upgrades.

12 November 2020, the committee:

  • received an update on building works at Parliament House;
  • received an update on the EACS rollout;
  • considered the EACS Quarterly report;
  • received an update on the CCTV Code of Practice Review;
  • noted the CCTV Quarterly and Annual Reports;
  • received an update on upcoming ICT system upgrades;
  • noted the Department of the Senate's quarterly financial updates ending 30 June 2020 and 30 September 2020 and future funding requirements to support committee workload; and
  • approved the draft of the committee's 2019-20 Annual Report.

3 December 2020, the committee:

  • received an update regarding CCTV matters;
  • received an update on the EACS rollout; and
  • considered correspondence relating to a CCTV matter.

18 February 2021, the committee:

  • noted the CCTV Quarterly Report;
  • noted the EACS Quarterly report;
  • received an update on building security, including: incidents, installation of additional EACS readers, and Covid-19 related matters;
  • received an update regarding installation of mobile phone antennas around Parliament House;
  • noted the Department of the Senate Audit Committee's Annual Report for 2020;
  • noted the Department of the Senate's quarterly financial statement for the 2nd quarter of the 2020-21 financial year; and
  • noted that the Department of the Senate will bring forward a proposal for additional on-going funding to maintain support to senate committees.

21 May 2021, the committee:

  • received an update regarding CCTV and training provided on Covid-19 cleaning protocols;
  • considered the CCTV Quarterly Report and other CCTV matters;
  • noted the EACS - CCTV Quarterly report;
  • received an update on proposed Parliamentary Pass Policy amendments;
  • received an update on ICT issues;
  • noted the report on the final testing of mobile phone antennas around Parliament House;
  • noted correspondence relating to funding for Senate Select Committees and the appropriations proposed in the Budget 2021-22, and changes to the department's system for administering Senators' payroll;
  • approved the 63rd Report - Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2021-22; and
  • discussed parliamentary privilege in relation to security systems and sign-in registers.

Senator the Hon Scott Ryan
Chair

1 Standing Order (S.O.) 19(2)(a).
2 S.O. 19(2)(b).
3 Journals of the Senate, No 89, 25 March 2015, pp. 2412-13, S.O. 19(3)(d).
4 Journals of the Senate, No 200, 3 June 1987, p. 1951.
5 S.O. 19(3)(e).
6 S.O. 19(4).