PREFACE


PREFACE

On 10 February 2011, the Senate referred to the committee for examination the estimates of proposed additional expenditure for the financial year 2010-11. The committee is responsible for the examination of the Attorney-General's Portfolio and the Immigration and Citizenship Portfolio. The portfolio additional estimates statements 2010-11 were tabled on 10 February 2011.

Reference of documents

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

  • Particulars of proposed additional expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2011 [Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011];
  • Particulars of certain proposed additional expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2011 [Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011];
  • Final budget outcome 2009-10; and
  • Issues from the advances under the annual Appropriation Acts for 2009-10.

The committee was required to report on its consideration of the additional estimates on or before 22 March 2011.

Estimates hearings

The committee met in public session on 21 and 22 February 2011.

Over the course of the two days' hearings, totalling over 21 hours, the committee took evidence from the following departments and agencies:

  • Administrative Appeals Tribunal;
  • Attorney-General's Department;
  • Australian Customs and Border Protection Service;
  • Australian Federal Police;
  • Australian Human Rights Commission;
  • Australian Law Reform Commission;
  • Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre;
  • Classification Board;
  • Classification Review Board;
  • Department of Immigration and Citizenship;
  • Family Court of Australia;
  • Federal Court of Australia;
  • Federal Magistrates Court of Australia;
  • Migration Review Tribunal; and
  • Refugee Review Tribunal.

Copies of Hansard are available on the internet at the following address: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/index.htm.

An index of the Hansard for each portfolio appears at Appendix 2 and Appendix 3.

Ministers and parliamentary secretaries

On 21 February 2011, the committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and Senator the Hon Kate Lundy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

On 22 February 2011, 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, and Senator the Hon Jacinta Collins, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations, representing the Attorney-General and Minister for Home Affairs.

Officers from both departments and associated agencies also appeared. The committee thanks the ministers, parliamentary secretaries and officers for their assistance.

Questions on notice

Further written explanations, and answers to questions on notice, will be tabled as soon as possible after they are received. That information is also available on the committee's internet page at the following address: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/estimates/index.

The committee has resolved that the due date for submitting responses to questions on notice from the additional estimates round is 8 April 2011.

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