Where the committee writes to a minister it expects a response to be received in time to be considered by the committee and reported on while the bill is still before the Parliament.
If the committee has not completed its inquiry due to the failure of a minister to respond to the committee's concerns, Senate standing order 24 enables Senators to ask the responsible minister why the committee has not received a response.
The table below sets out the bills for which the committee has requested a response and the response has either not yet been received or has been received but the committee has not yet finally reported on it. If a bill is likely to be subject to debate in the Senate before the due date set by the committee, the committee expects the response to be provided prior to the debate.
Bills listed in red indicate that the response is outstanding.
Publication of ministerial responses
Where it may assist in providing timely scrutiny of bills before the Senate, the committee may choose to publish (in the table below) ministerial responses together with the committee's preliminary comments on those responses, prior to tabling its regular Scrutiny Digest.
All ministerial and other responses are published online with the relevant Scrutiny Digest after tabling.
| Bill |
Minister |
Committee comment |
Response due |
Response received |
| Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 |
Attorney-General
|
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
13 November 2025 |
|
| Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 |
Home Affairs |
Scrutiny Digest 4 of 2025 |
*28 November 2025 |
|
| Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025 |
Defence |
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
13 November 2025 |
|
| Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 |
Education |
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
13 November 2025 |
|
| Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025 |
Environment and Water
|
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025
|
20 November 2025
|
|
| Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025 |
Environment and Water
|
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025
|
20 November 2025
|
|
| Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025 |
Environment and Water
|
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025
|
20 November 2025
|
|
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charges Imposition) Bill 2025
|
Environment and Water
|
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025
|
20 November 2025
|
|
| Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025 |
Attorney-General |
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
*18 November 2025 |
|
| Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025 |
Health, Disability and Ageing |
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
13 November 2025 |
|
| Home Affairs Legislation (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025 |
Home Affairs |
Scrutiny Digest 5 of 2025 |
*23 September 2025 |
|
| National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025 |
Environment and Water |
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025 |
20 November 2025 |
|
| Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 |
Treasury |
Scrutiny Digest 4 of 2025 |
11 September 2025 |
|
| Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025 (Government Amendments) |
Social Services |
Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2025 |
20 November 2025 |
|
| Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Financial Systems and Other Measures) Bill 2025 |
Treasury |
Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2025 |
13 November 2025 |
|
* Revised due date