PREFACE


PREFACE

On 13 May 2014, the Senate referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (the committee) for examination the estimates of proposed expenditure for the financial year 2014–15. The committee is responsible for the examination of the Attorney-General's Portfolio and the Immigration and Border Protection Portfolio. The portfolio budget statements for 2014–15 were tabled on 13 May 2014.[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 2015 [Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2014–2015];
  • Particulars of certain proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2015 [Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2014–2015];
  • Particulars of proposed supplementary expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2014 [Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2013–14]; and
  • Particulars of certain proposed supplementary expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2014 [Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2013–14].

The committee was required to report on its consideration of the budget estimates on 24 June 2014.

Estimates hearings

The committee met in public session on 26, 27, 28 and 29 May 2014.

Over the course of the four days of hearings, totalling over 36 hours, the committee took evidence from the following departments and agencies:

Immigration and Border Protection Portfolio

  • Department of Immigration and Border Protection
  • Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
  • Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal

Attorney-General's Portfolio

  • Attorney-General's Department
  • Australian Crime Commission
  • Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
  • Australian Federal Police
  • Creative Partnerships Australia
  • Australia Council
  • Screen Australia
  • National Film and Sound Archive
  • National Gallery of Australia
  • National Library of Australia
  • National Museum of Australia
  • National Portrait Gallery of Australia
  • Old Parliament House
  • Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Australian Financial Security Authority
  • Australian Law Reform Commission
  • Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
  • Federal Circuit Court of Australia
  • Family Court of Australia
  • National Native Title Tribunal
  • Classification Board and Classification Review Board
  • Office of Parliamentary Counsel
  • National Archives of Australia
  • Australian Commission of Law Enforcement Integrity
  • Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

A full list of departments and agencies for which the committee has oversight is at Appendix 1.

Copies of the transcripts of Hansard are available from the committee's internet page.

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

Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries

On 26, 28 and 29 May 2014, the committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, the Attorney-General and Minister for the Arts, and representing the Minister for Justice, and Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion, Minister for Indigenous Affairs representing the Attorney-General.

On 26 and 27 May 2014, the committee heard evidence from Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, and Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

Officers from both departments and associated agencies also appeared. The committee thanks the ministers, parliamentary secretaries 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 25 July 2014.

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 above address.

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