46th report: Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2008-09
Members
of the Committee
The President of the Senate,
Senator the Hon. Alan Ferguson
(Chairman)
The Leader of the Government
in the Senate, Senator the Hon. Chris Evans
The Leader of the Opposition
in the Senate, Senator the Hon. Nick Minchin
Senator the Hon. John Faulkner
Senator Kate Lundy
Senator Andrew Murray
Senator Fiona Nash
Senator Stephen Parry
The
committee
The
Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing, appointed under standing
order 19, determines the amounts for inclusion in the parliamentary
appropriation bills and reports to the Senate on its determinations prior to
the Senate’s consideration of those bills.
The
committee examines matters affecting the staffing and administration of the
Department of the Senate, including proposals to vary the staffing structure,
and other matters referred to it by the Senate. The committee makes an annual
report to the Senate on the operations of the Senate’s appropriations and
staffing and related matters (standing order 19(3)).
The
committee has the explicit capacity to scrutinise security funding and
administration and to advise the President and the Senate as appropriate. Under
a resolution of the Senate agreed to in 1987 the committee also examines
proposed changes in the structure and responsibilities of the parliamentary
departments.
The
committee is chaired by the President and includes the Senate Leaders of the
Government and the Opposition as ex officio members.
Secretary
Neil Bessell
Senate Table Office
46th Report
Introduction
Standing
order 19 (2) and (3) requires that the committee determine the amount to be
included in the parliamentary appropriation bill for the Department of the
Senate.
Proposed
Appropriations for 2008-09
The committee notes that the Senate Department’s 2008-09
appropriations have been calculated in accordance with current Commonwealth
funding policy. Under this policy, the forward estimates reflect the annual loss
of 1.25 per cent efficiency dividend and in the absence of funding for new
policy proposals, only parameter adjustments (or partial cost of living
supplementation) are possible. The proposed departmental appropriations also reflect
the loss of a further 2 per cent efficiency dividend, which was applied on
pro-rata basis for 2007-08 and is included in the forward year estimates up until
the 2010-11 Budget.
For the 2007-08 budget year there were two separate
appropriation reductions recommended by this committee on 11 March 2008 that
were subsequently approved by the Minister for Finance on 21 April 2008. One
reduction is from the 2007-08 budget appropriation ($0.400m) due to low
parliamentary activity caused by the election in late 2007. The other reduction
of $11.316m was from surplus accumulated prior year appropriations that are
held for financial coverage of the department’s balance sheet items. A
comparison with the 2007-08 appropriation is shown below.
The committee also notes that an estimated increase in
the cost of parliamentary superannuation reflects the commencement of new
senators from 1 July 2008.
The proposed appropriations have been calculated as
follows:
| Part 1 - Departmental Annual Appropriation |
The current year’s budget for departmental expenses
(as disclosed in the 2007-08 PBS) |
$20.220m |
Adjust for returned 2 per cent pro-rata efficiency dividend and agreed
reduction for low parliamentary activity in 2007-08 |
-0.493m |
Adjust for miscellaneous adjustments: parameter adjustments, and
efficiency dividend |
+0.527m |
| Total departmental appropriation for 2008-09 |
$20.254m |
| Part 2 – Departmental Accumulated Prior Year Appropriation |
Balance of prior year appropriation for 2007-08
(as disclosed in the 2006-07 annual report) |
$21.487m |
| Adjust for reduced appropriation |
-11.316m |
| Expected balance of prior year appropriation for 2008-09 |
$10.171m |
| Part 3 - Special Appropriations (senators' remuneration) |
| Made up of the following three components (for this and next year): |
| 2007-08: |
|
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$ 0.736m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$ 0.520m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$12.591m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2007-08 |
$13.847m |
| |
|
| 2008-09: |
|
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$ 0.736m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$ 0.640m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$13.083m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2008-09 |
$14.459m |
The
total appropriation to be approved by the Parliament in the appropriation bill
for
2008-09
will be $20.254m (compared to $20.220m in 2007-08).
Special
appropriations of $14.459m will also be drawn down during the year (compared to
an adjusted estimate of $13.847m in 2007-08).
Determination
The
committee determines that the total appropriation to be approved by the
Parliament in the appropriation bill for 2008-09 is $20.254m and reports to the
Senate accordingly.
(Alan Ferguson)
Chairman
May 2008
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