PREFACE


PREFACE

On 14 May 2013, the Senate referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (committee) for examination the estimates of proposed expenditure for the financial year 2013-14. The committee is responsible for the examination of the Attorney-General's Portfolio and the Immigration and Citizenship Portfolio. The portfolio budget statements for 2013-14 were tabled on
14 May 2013.[1]

Reference of documents

The Senate referred to the committee, for examination and report, the following documents:

  • particulars of proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2014 [Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2013-2014]; and
  • particulars of certain proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2014 [Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014].

The committee was required to report on its consideration of the budget estimates on or before 25 June 2013.

Estimates hearings

The committee met in public session on 27, 28, 29 and 30 May 2013.

Over the course of the four days of hearings, totalling over 40 hours, the committee took evidence from the following departments and agencies:

Immigration and Citizenship Portfolio

  • Department of Immigration and Citizenship (including the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority)
  • Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal

Attorney-General's Portfolio

  • Attorney-General's Department
  • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity
  • Australian Crime Commission
  • Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
  • Australian Federal Police
  • Australian Government Solicitor
  • Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Australian Law Reform Commission
  • Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
  • Classification Board
  • CrimTrac Agency
  • Family Court of Australia
  • Federal Court of Australia
  • Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia
  • Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
  • Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Copies of the transcripts of Hansard are available on the committee's website at: www.aph.gov.au/senate_legalcon.

An index of the Hansard for each portfolio appears at Appendix 2.

Ministers and Parliamentary Secretary

On 27 and 28 May 2013, the committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon. Kate Lundy, Minister for Sport, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation; and Senator the Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

On 29 and 30 May 2013, the committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon. Joseph Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery, representing the Attorney-General and the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs.

Officers from both departments and associated agencies also appeared. The committee thanks the Ministers, Parliamentary Secretary and officers for their assistance.

Questions on notice

The committee determined that the due date for submitting responses to questions on notice from the Budget Estimates round is 12 July 2013.

Further written explanations, and answers to questions on notice, will be tabled as soon as possible after they are received, and are available on the committee's website.

Note on references

References to the committee Hansard are to the proof Hansard. Page numbers may vary between the proof and the official Hansard transcript.

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