1.1
On 25 October 2022, the Senate referred the following documents to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee (the committee) for examination and report:
particulars of proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2023; and
particulars of certain proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2023.
1.2
A reporting date of 29 November 2022 was set for the committee’s report to the Senate on its consideration of the 2022–23 budget estimates.
Portfolio Coverage
1.3
In accordance with the resolution of the Senate on 27 July 2022, the committee is responsible for the examination of the expenditure and outcomes of the following portfolios:
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts portfolio, excluding Communications and the Arts; and
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Hearings
1.4
The committee examined witnesses from the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (excluding Communications and the Arts) portfolio on 28 October 2022 and 7 November 2022, and witnesses from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio on 7 and 8 November 2022.
1.5
On 22 November 2022, the Senate determined the committee would hold additional hearings on 25 November 2022 and 2 December 2022 to continue examining witnesses from the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (excluding Communications and the Arts) portfolio.
1.6
The committee heard evidence from the following ministers:
Senator the Hon Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport;
Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Regional Development; and
Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Minister for Emergency Management.
1.7
Evidence was also provided by the following departmental secretaries who were accompanied by officers from the portfolio departments and agencies:
Mr Jim Betts, Secretary, Department of infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; and
Mr Andrew Metcalfe AO, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
1.8
The following portfolio agencies were not required to appear:
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Portfolio
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
National Capital Authority
National Faster Rail Agency
National Transport Commission
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Portfolio
Grains Research and Development Corporation
1.9
The committee thanks the ministers, departmental secretaries and officers for their assistance and cooperation during the hearings.
Questions on notice and Hansard transcript
1.10
In accordance with standing order 26(9)(a), the committee set Friday, 16 December 2022 as the date for the return of written answers or additional information in response to questions placed on notice during the initial hearings.
1.11
Written answers and information provided to the committee in response to questions on notice arising from the hearings have been tabled in the Senate and published on the committee’s website. Links to the Hansard transcripts of these public hearings, and to answers, tabled documents and additional information are available on the committees webpage at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Senate_Estimates/rrat.
Record of proceedings
1.12
This report does not attempt to analyse the evidence presented during the hearings. However, it does provide a summary of some of the key issues that were covered by the committee for each portfolio.
Answers to questions on notice – Budget estimates 2022–23
1.13
The committee undertook Budget estimates hearings on 31 March 2022, and 4 to 5 April 2022 for the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication portfolio and the Agriculture, Water and the Environment portfolio. On 8 April 2022, the committee examined the cross-portfolio Murray-Darling Basin Plan matters. The committee set Friday, 20 May 2022 as the return date for written answers or additional information in response to questions placed on notice during the hearings.
1.14
The Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications portfolio took 80 questions on notice. The Agriculture, Water and the Environment portfolio took 57 questions on notice.
Timeliness of answers to questions on notice
1.15
The Infrastructure, Regional Development and Communications portfolio submitted zero answers to questions on notice by the due date of 20 May 2022. 78 answers were received by 1 June 2022, and the further two answers were received on 2 June 2022, and 3 June 2022 respectively.
1.16
The Agriculture, Water and the Environment portfolio submitted 10 of 57 answers to questions taken on notice by the due date of 20 May 2022. Further answers were received progressively, with the last answer received on 3 June 2022.
Note on references
1.17
References to the Hansard transcript are to the proof Hansard; page numbers may vary between the proof and the official Hansard transcripts.