Chapter 1 - Introduction
1.1
On 13 May 2008, the Senate referred the following documents to the
Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (the committee)
for examination and report in relation to the Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry portfolio and the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and
Local Government portfolio:
- Particulars of proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending
on 30 June 2009;
- Particulars of certain proposed expenditure in respect of the
year ending on 30 June 2009;
- Particulars of proposed supplementary expenditure in respect of
the year ending on 30 June 2008; and
- Particulars of certain proposed supplementary expenditure in
respect of the year ending on 30 June 2008.[1]
1.2
The committee was required to report to the Senate on its consideration
of the 2007-2008 additional estimates on 24 June 2008.[2]
1.3
The committee considered the Portfolio Budget Statements 2008-2009 for
both portfolios at hearings on 26, 27, 28 and 29 May 2008. The hearings were
conducted in accordance with the agreed agenda as follows:
- Monday 26 May 2008 – Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
portfolio;
- Tuesday 27 May 2008 – Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
portfolio;
- Wednesday 28 May 2008 – Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development and Local Government portfolio; and
- Thursday 29 May 2008 – Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development and Local Government portfolio.
1.4
The committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon Nick Sherry, Minister
for Superannuation and Corporate Law, and Senator the Hon Jan McLucas,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, both
representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Senator
the Hon Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital
Economy, representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development and Local Government. Evidence was also provided by Dr Conall
O'Connell, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Ms
Susan Page, Acting Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport,
Regional Development and Local Government, and officers representing the
departments and agencies covered by the estimates before the committee.
1.5
The committee thanks the ministers, departmental secretaries and officers
for their assistance and cooperation during the hearings.
Questions on Notice
1.6
In accordance with Standing Order 26(9)(a), the committee is required to
set a date for the lodgement of written answers and additional information. The
committee requested that written answers and additional information be
submitted by Friday 18 July 2008.
1.7
The committee notes its disappointment that none of the questions taken
on notice during the committee's examination of the 2007-2008
additional estimates were answered by the deadline set. The committee
reminds portfolio departments and agencies that providing answers to the
committee only days before the following estimates hearings, or in some cases, on
the day of the subsequent hearings, is not acceptable practice. The committee emphasises
its expectation that all answers to questions taken on notice during its
examination of the 2008-2009 budget estimates will be submitted by the date
set.
1.8
The committee further notes its dissatisfaction with the standard of a
number of the responses provided to questions on notice from the 2007-2008
additional estimates. Senators raised this issue on a number of occasions
throughout the estimates hearings across both portfolios, noting that many of
the answers were unhelpful and provided little or no useful information.[3]
1.9
During the hearings the committee also emphasised that referring
senators to a website hyperlink is an inappropriate way of responding to
questions on notice.[4]
Moreover, the hyperlinks that were provided in the responses direct the
committee to a general homepage as opposed to the particular page containing
the information requested. The committee observed that in some instances the
particular detail requested on notice was not available on the website referred
to, and consequently the committee remained unable to obtain the information it
was seeking.[5]
The minister indicated that the Prime Minister, on behalf of all ministers, had
provided an answer to all questions throughout the estimates process requesting
a list of election promises, which stated:
The election commitments made by Federal Labor, the great
majority of which were accompanied by an estimate of costs, are on the public
record. The Administrative Arrangements Orders issued by the Governor-General
on 3 December 2007 and 25 January 2008 list the matters dealt with by each
Department of State.[6]
However, the minister undertook to raise the matter of
unsatisfactory answers regarding portfolio related issues with the Minister for
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.[7]
1.10
The committee reiterates that referring senators to websites it is not
an acceptable manner of responding to questions on notice, and expects that the
department will provide appropriately detailed, relevant and up-to-date
information in response to questions on notice in the future.
Additional information
1.11
Answers to questions taken on notice at the committee's budget estimates
hearings, and any additional information received will be tabled in the Senate
in separate volumes entitled 'Additional information relating to the
examination of budget estimates 2008-2009 – May 2008 – Senate Standing
Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport'. Documents not suitable
for inclusion in the additional information volumes will be available on
request from the committee secretariat.
1.12
Copies of the Hansard transcripts of the hearings are available from the
committee's website. Answers to questions on notice and additional information
received from the departments will also be posted on the committee's website at
a later date.
Note on references
1.13
References to the Hansard transcript are to the proof Hansard, therefore
page numbers may vary between the proof and the official Hansard transcript.
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