CHAIRMAN -I declare open this public meeting of Estimates Committee D. On 9 May 1990 the Committee was charged by the Senate with the consideration of the following: Particulars of proposed additional expenditure for the service of the year ending on 30 June 1990, drawn from Appropriation Bill (No. 3) and set out in the document designated by the Committee as Document A; and particulars of certain proposed additional expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 1990, drawn from Appropriation Bill (No. 4) and set out in the document designated by the Committee as Document B.

The Committee has available explanatory notes in program format provided by Executive departments. Members of the Committee when considering the Estimates should refer to the explanatory notes, as I proposed to call on the Additional Estimates by program together with the relevant pages of the explanatory notes.

The Committee will consider the Estimates in the following order: Department of Administrative Services; Department of Employment, Education and Training; Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs. If Senators have any questions that span a number of programs, please raise them at the beginning of the examination of each Department so as to ascertain the most appropriate point at which these questions can be asked and to ensure that the relevant departmental officers will still be in attendance. I request that when departmental officers are first called to answer a question, they come up to the main table to answer questions and state their names. This will assist the Hansard reporters recording the proceedings. If there has been a considerable interval and the Hansard reporter has changed it may be necessary to name themselves a second time. The Committee will now commence the examination of the Estimates of the Department of Administrative Services.