Some interesting OBS that you make "K"... 
As you know I too have strong reservations about the Chair of the RRAT Legislative committee and wonder if his nomination was nothing more than a strategic political manoeuvre to make nugatory the oversight of a once very effective non-partisan Senate committee.
The following was an interesting by-play that occurred prior to the dinner break, that may suggest there is some dissension within the ranks of the permanent committee :
It should be remembered that the person who has the power to ensure the committee strictly adhere to the published timetable would be the Chair - Just saying...
MTF? Definitely with Fawcett timetables and Chair nominations etc.etc...
As you know I too have strong reservations about the Chair of the RRAT Legislative committee and wonder if his nomination was nothing more than a strategic political manoeuvre to make nugatory the oversight of a once very effective non-partisan Senate committee.
The following was an interesting by-play that occurred prior to the dinner break, that may suggest there is some dissension within the ranks of the permanent committee
: Quote:From Hansard:
CHAIR: Mr Carmody, could you come up for one minute? I need to confirm something with you. But while you're coming up—Dr Kennedy?
Dr Kennedy : Yes.
CHAIR: I'm going on the record here: we have to do something about these schedulings at estimates. This is getting to a ridiculous point where we've got to let four and five agencies go that have been sitting here all day. It's not working, and I'll be taking that up with the Senate itself. We can release Aviation and Airports Division, Surface Transport Policy Division, Portfolio Coordination and Research Division, and Regional Development and Local Government Division.
Senator GALLACHER: You can't release all those people. That's not the way it works.
CHAIR: Then we'll have to have a private meeting, and the government numbers will release them. We're five hours behind, Alex.
Senator STERLE: We'll have a spillover day.
CHAIR: We're five hours behind. We're never going to get to them.
Senator GALLACHER: Surface Transport was next.
CHAIR: Don't make me call the team together and use our numbers on you.
Senator GALLACHER: He's threatened us with the numbers! Let's go and have a meeting.
CHAIR: I genuinely apologise to these officers as well. We try our best with scheduling, but even the best laid plans go. They go with our thanks and our wish that they arrive safely back at their home destination.
Mr Carmody, we want to confirm that Mr Campbell is with us.
Mr Carmody : Yes, he is.
CHAIR: Thank you. Excellent. I appreciate the effort there. We'll now break for lunch—dinner. It gets like that after a day of estimates!
It should be remembered that the person who has the power to ensure the committee strictly adhere to the published timetable would be the Chair - Just saying...
MTF? Definitely with Fawcett timetables and Chair nominations etc.etc...