CHAIR —I declare open this public hearing of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee. On 14 May 1998, the Senate referred to this committee for examination particulars of proposed expenditure in relation to the parliamentary departments in respect of the year ended 30 June 1999 (document C). The parliamentary departments have proposed expenditure of $135,890,000. The committee is required to report to the Senate on or before 23 June 1998 and has set Friday, 17 July 1998 as the date for submission of written answers to questions taken on notice.

The hearing today will commence with the parliamentary departments and be followed by the portfolio of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, commencing with the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General. We will then proceed with the departmental programs. At 4 o'clock until the dinner break, program 6, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and the program for the Office of Indigenous Policy have been scheduled. After the dinner adjournment, we will resume with the departmental programs in continuation, if required, followed by the remaining programs, 4 and 5, which cover the external agencies within the portfolio.

I remind colleagues that this committee is continuing its inquiry in the format of portfolio budget statements. As we go through the documents, you may wish to put on the Hansard record your thoughts on those PBSs—whether they are clear and helpful or whether they are confusing or hard to follow. I propose to proceed by calling on programs as listed in the detail of programs circulated.

For the benefit of Hansard , I remind witnesses to identify themselves in the first instance and speak clearly and directly into the microphone. I note for the record that questions on notice have been received from Senator Abetz on 1 June 1998 for program 7, the finance and administration portfolio—ministerial and parliamentary services. If any of my colleagues would like copies of Senator Abetz's questions, please ask the secretariat.