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Monday, 13 February 2012
Page: 812

Ms OWENS (Parramatta) (11:57): On behalf of the Standing Committee on Economics, I seek leave to make a statement on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2011-12 in discharge of the committee's requirement to provide an advisory report on the bills and to present a copy of my statement.

Leave granted.

Ms OWENS: The committee has endorsed the comments of this statement. On 8 February 2012, the Selection Committee referred Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2011-12 to the committee. The appropriation bills, together with other government documents, are subject to wide scrutiny by Senate committees as part of their estimates function.

On 9 February 2012, the Senate referred Appropriation Bill (No. 3) and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) to Senate committees for examination and report as part of additional estimates. Eight committees of the Senate will conduct wide-ranging scrutiny of executive government over the next four days. It was the view of the committee that it would unnecessarily duplicate the work of these Senate committees and possibly create confusion amongst witnesses if it attempted to undertake its own, concurrent examination.

The committee, therefore, has agreed not to inquire into the bills and recommends that the House consider the bills under normal processes.