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 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 2023-24 financial year, the following senators were committee members:

• President of the Senate, Senator the Hon Sue Lines (Chair)
• Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC
• Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator the Hon Penny Wong)
• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham)
• Senator Raff Ciccone (appointed 28 July 2022)
• Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister (appointed 28 July 2022)
• Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie (appointed 1 August 2022)
• Senator the Hon Anne Ruston (appointed 1 August 2022)
• Senator Marielle Smith (appointed 28 July 2022)

Committee activities

1.5 During the reporting period, the committee met on six occasions and tabled two reports:

• Annual Report 2022-23 (tabled on 4 October 2023); and
• 67th Report: Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2024-25 (tabled on 25 June 2024).

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. In particular, the committee reviewed quarterly reports on the use of the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system and Electronic Access Control System (EACS), the destruction of quarantined CCTV footage, and amendments to associated policies and arrangements.

1.8 In addition, the committee discussed:

• the continuation of the trial of after-hours access reporting;
• a lockdown exercise involving the Senate chamber and additional awareness and training on procedures;
• a number of proposed security measures;
• the Senators' car park capacity and usage; and
• proposed CCTV changes within Parliament House and revision to the CCTV Code of Practice with a particular focus on the intersection with parliamentary privilege.

Senator the Hon Sue Lines
Chair