2021 Seminar Program

The 2021 Senate Seminar Program will be offered in-person and online. COVID safe arrangements will be in place for all in-person seminars, in accordance with the COVID Safe Plan for Australian Parliament House and government requirements.

Further information about registrations, COVID safe arrangements and visiting Parliament House is included below the seminar outlines.

List of seminars:

• About Parliament
• The Senate at work
• Consideration of bills by the parliamentary scrutiny committees
• Parliamentary scrutiny of delegated legislation
• Getting bills through the Senate
• Senate committees and the estimates process
• Engaging with the Senate - Senior Executive Service training

About Parliament

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar provides an introduction to Australia’s Parliament including the constitutional role, functions and powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It describes the constitutional principles and concepts that underpin our federal system of government and details the composition and workings of both houses of Parliament.

Target audience: APS Graduates and those new to the public service

Dates: 21 April
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

The Senate at work

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar provides an overview of the work of the Senate including its role, functions and powers. It examines the legislative process and provides an understanding of the powers and operation of the Senate committee system, including its accountability function through the estimates process.

Target audience: APS Graduates and those new to the public service

Dates: 31 March and 11 November
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

Consideration of bills by the parliamentary scrutiny committees

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar is designed to provide participants with an understanding of the technical scrutiny of bills undertaken by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Senate Scrutiny of Bills Committee. Topics include the scrutiny principles and laws against which the scrutiny committees assess legislation, their expectations in relation to explanatory materials accompanying bills, their reporting processes, and the main sources of guidance and support for negotiating the passage of legislation through the legislative scrutiny process.

Target audience: APS officers engaged in preparing primary legislation and accompanying explanatory materials or those who may perform this role in the future

Date: 22 July
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

Parliamentary scrutiny of delegated legislation

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar provides participants with an understanding of the processes for the tabling, consideration and disallowance of delegated legislation. It provides practical guidance for working with the Senate Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. Topics include the disallowance timetable, consequences of disallowance, the expectations and work practices of the scrutiny committees, and resources available to track delegated legislation through the Senate.

Target audience: APS officers engaged in drafting or monitoring delegated legislation and explanatory statements or those who may perform this role in the future

Dates: 8 July
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

Getting bills through the Senate

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar provides participants with an understanding of the legislative process and knowledge needed to monitor and facilitate the progress of bills through the Parliament. It considers each stage of the legislative process including amendments to bills, the role of the scrutiny committees as well as scheduling and deferral of bills. The seminar also considers explanatory memoranda and the processing and publication of bills and Acts.

Target audience: APS officers involved in advising ministers or their officers in the Senate chamber on the passage of bills or those who may perform this role in the future

Date: 14 July
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

Senate committees and the estimates process

9.30am–11.00am

This seminar focuses on the Senate committee system including the purpose of committees, the types of committees and their powers. It traces the committee inquiry process and considers the Senate estimates, including the rights and responsibilities of officers appearing at estimates hearings.

Target audience: APS officers involved in the preparing submissions for Senate committees, providing information to Senate committees considering the estimates or who monitor or attend Senates estimates

Dates: 4 March CANCELLED, 20 May and 14 October
Cost: $160 per person (in person or online)*

Engaging with the Senate - Senior Executive Service training

9.30am–12.00pm

This seminar for SES officers focuses on the accountability of public servants to Parliament. Topics covered include the relationship between the public service, ministers and the Parliament; the role of the Senate in the accountability process; the law and practice of parliamentary privilege, particularly as it relates to the operation of Senate committees; and the rights and obligations of public servants who appear before them as witnesses.

Target audience: Senior Executive Service officers

Dates:3 March CANCELLED, 19 May and 13 October
Cost: $330 per person (in person only. This seminar is not offered online)*

Further information

Customised courses

In addition to our standard seminar program, we can arrange courses to meet your specified needs. For further information on customised courses, contact the Seminar Coordinator.

COVID safe arrangements

COVID safe arrangements are in place for all seminars.

In person participation will be limited to 30 participants per seminar, in line with the most current public health authority advice and ACT government requirements.

All participants attending in person must maintain physical distancing (1.5 meters) and practice good hygiene at all times.

If you are feeling unwell we ask that you please do not attend the seminar in person. If you have visible symptoms you may be refused entry or restricted from participating in public gatherings.

Contact details of each participant, including name and phone number, will be required on registration.

The COVID Safe Plan for Australian Parliament House provides further details about COVID safe measures.

Virtual participation

 All seminars, with the exception of Engaging with the Senate - Senior Executive Service, training are offered in-person and online. For further information about virtual delivery please contact the Seminar Coordinator on (02) 6277 3074 or by email to senate.seminars@aph.gov.au.

Registrations

Registrations close one week before the seminar date. An email confirming your placement will be sent once a completed registration form has been received.

Please note the person making the booking is responsible for managing the booking, which includes notifying participants of seminar arrangements and settlement of accounts. If the person making the booking changes, please advise as soon as possible.

Payment, cancellation and refund policy

Tax invoices will be sent once registrations have closed, one week prior to the seminar date. The seminar fee will be waived only if a cancellation is notified in writing to senate.seminars@aph.gov.au, five or more working days prior to the seminar. If a participant is unable to attend, a substitute from the same organisation may attend, but the seminar co-ordinator must be informed of this a minimum of two business days prior to the seminar. Due to COVID safe measures, substitute attendees will not be permitted to attend the seminar without prior notice. No refund will be given for non-attendance.

Due to unforeseen circumstances a seminar may be cancelled. In this event, participants will be advised of this cancellation as soon as possible and no fee will be charged.

Visiting Parliament House

Information about visiting Parliament House, including parking arrangements, accessibility and security screening, is available at https://www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament/Plan_your_Visit.

Contact information

For bookings and further information, please contact the Seminar Coordinator:

Email: senate.seminars@aph.gov.au

Phone: (02) 6277 3074

* Prices as at 27 January 2021