2010–11 Annual Report


2010–11 Annual Report

Standing order 19(3) provides that the Committee make an annual report to the Senate on the operations of the Senate’s appropriations and staffing and related matters.

During the reporting period, the Committee tabled two reports:

  • 51st report which was the Committee’ Annual Report for 2009-10; and
  • 52nd report, entitled Estimates for the Department of the Senate 2011-12, in which the Committee, in accordance with standing order 19(2) and (3), determined that the total appropriation for the Department of the Senate by the Parliament in the appropriation bill for 2011-12 will be $21.569m (compared to $20.540m in 2010-11).

During the reporting period, the Committee met on 26 October 2010 and 3 March 2011, and considered the following matters at those meetings:

26 October 2010

The Committee agreed to table its 2009-10 Annual Report and received a briefing by the Clerk of the Senate on a number of matters including:

  • the resolution of the Senate of 22 June 2010 and the Government’s response to the Committee’s 50th Report – each concerning ordinary annual services of the Government
  • the extract from the ‘Red Book’ published by the Department of Finance and Deregulation regarding the Parliamentary Budget Office;
  • the Department of the Senate’s End of Year: Financial Report; and
  • correspondence from the Clerk to Mr David Tune, Secretary of the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

The Clerk also provided advice on the outcome of the Department of the Senate’s Structural Review, including changes to the responsibilities of the Deputy Clerk and the establishment of a Senate Public Information Office. The Committee noted these changes and agreed that the Department should seek additional funding of $4.838 million over four years to enable the Department to implement parliamentary reform by enhancing its legislative drafting capacity, to establish the Senate Public Information Office and to support the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform.

3 March 2011

The Committee:

  • discussed advice from the Expenditure Review Committee in response to the Committee seeking support for additional funding for three new policy proposals, and reiterated its commitment to the proposals;
  • agreed to continue its practice of drawing to the attention of the Minister for Finance and Deregulation a list of expenditure items which may have been inappropriately classified as ordinary annual services of the Government; and
  • received advice on recent Senior Executive appointments.

 

Senator the Hon John Hogg
Chairman

November 2011

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