[Peetwo]

Save the dosh get rid of Senate Estimates?? 

Google reference:

Senate estimates hearings, also known as estimates committees or simply 'estimates', allow senators to scrutinise (closely examine) how executive government is spending taxpayers' money. Senators focus on how government has spent this money and on the government's future spending plans.

[/url]Senate Estimates | Learning | Parliamentary Education Office ...

I note the following article from the Mandarin:

Which agencies got a break from Senate estimates hearings?
By Stephen Easton • 11/04/2019


[img=550x0]https://www.themandarin.com.au/content/uploads/2018/05/Penny-Wong-estimates.jpg[/img]
With the beginning of caretaker period comes the end of Senate estimates, and non-government politicians were soon crying foul over their missed opportunities to quiz public servants.

Labor and the Greens and their supporters have led the charge in accusing the government of avoiding accountability, but the hearings could have continued if the opposition really wanted them to.

Some are strongly suggesting it, and others are outright accusing the Prime Minister of waiting just long enough for his government to give federal environmental approval to the controversial Adani coal mine — which was reportedly demanded by members of Queensland’s combined Liberal-National Party branch — then calling the election before senators could grill the relevant public servants in the CSIRO and the Department of the Environment and Energy about this.

However, another aggrieved senator who now finds his time in the spotlight cut down, Duncan Spender of the Liberal Democrats, has attacked the major parties for opposing his earlier motion for the hearings to continue even if caretaker period began in the middle of them.

The Senate could have voted to do this, as the Parliamentary Library recently observed, but Labor members may have judged their time was better spent on the campaign trail than in the committee rooms. Or maybe they just didn’t think this week’s hearings would even begin.
“It’s a bit rich for Labor to be complaining now when they had the chance to support my motion and ensure estimates would continue,” said Spender, who got his seat as a replacement for David Lleyonhelm and may have decided the hearings were his best shot at attracting votes.

Senator Jenny McAllister

✔@jennymcallister

We also won’t have the chance to ask the Industry Dept about their secret #climate modelling, which both Environment and Treasury officials have confirmed is underway.  #auspol @Mark_Butler_MP #Estimates
Tony Burke

✔@Tony_Burke

One of the consequences of calling an election on a Thursday instead of Sunday is to stop Senate Estimates hearings. In my portfolio alone this shuts down questions to the CSIRO about the Adani approval and Murray Darling hearings scheduled for Friday now won’t happen. #ausvotes

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7:34 AM - Apr 11, 2019
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Before the approval happened on Tuesday, the news outlets closest to the Coalition were reporting that the timing of the election had been influenced by Queenslanders in the Coalition, with reports that Resources Minister Matt Canavan threatened to quit and Senator James McGrath threatened to publicly campaign for Environment Minister Melissa Price’s resignation, if the Adani mine was not approved before the election.

On Monday, Senator Penny Wong (pictured) tried to confirm if these reports were true, and hence the minister’s decision had been improperly influenced, but she did not get far. Labor’s Kimberley Kitching called it a “surprise week” and said senators would be “on tenterhooks” wondering if the hearings would continue. “Accountability never sleeps,” observed Senate Clerk Richard Pye.

There also seemed to be more than the usual number of absent public servants in this round of estimates, including tax commissioner Chris Jordan, auditor-general Grant Hehir and Treasury secretary Phil Gaetjens.
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Eryk Bagshaw

✔@ErykBagshaw

Treasury Secretary Phil Gaetjens, Scott Morrison's former chief of staff, is interstate and will not give evidence at what could be his last Senate #estimates hearing. Labor is furious. "The basics are that you turn up," says Jenny McAllister. #auspol

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9:20 AM - Apr 10, 2019
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There certainly would have been questions raised about DEE recommending the minister approve the Adani mine. One might concern why it did so several days before it received support from the CSIRO, which had previously found serious problems with the company’s plan to manage risks to groundwater, according to leaked advice reported in December.

A lot of pundits and politicians are out suggesting the government wanted to avoid accountability and there are plenty of other controversial issues besides the Adani approval that could have seen sparks fly.

So, who else missed out?

The Department of Social Services was scheduled to appear on Thursday, with the National Disability Insurance Agency appearing in the morning.

Assuming no delays, the plan was for the Department of Human Services to take the stand from 7.30pm.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was also expecting to come back and talk about non-trade programs on Thursday, with portfolio agencies the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation on the late-night bill.
Time was also allocated to the Department of Education and Training with a spot for the Australian Research Council.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Australian Energy Regulator were also pencilled in for Thursday, followed by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Next was the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science followed by some of its portfolio colleagues from the Anti-Dumping Commission, Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

If the schedule was kept, it would have been CSIRO’s turn at 7.30pm followed by Innovation and Science Australia, with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority scheduled in for 10.30pm.

Friday was for cross-portfolio matters regarding the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and Indigenous Affairs.

The former would have called up officials from three portfolios: Agriculture and Water Resources, which includes the MDBA, as well as Environment and Energy, and Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities.

In the latter we would have heard about the Northern Land Council, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and the government-owned retailer Outback Stores, with officials from the Departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Health at the table.[/size]

 
Hmm...I would argue despite the three (aviation safety) Stooges appearing at Estimates there was only one 'the Harfwit' that received anywhere near proper scrutiny...  

Senator O'Sofullofit in his last hoorah saw to it that CASA & the ATSB got a streamlined in and out with not too much skin lost with the sole serious questioner being Senator Sic'em'Rex, with bugger all inquisition from the rest of the committee...   

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CHAIR: Thank you, Mr Carmody. It's always a pleasure. I see you had quite a team with you. We do appreciate your preparation and attendance. We wish you all safe travel back to your intended destination.

Mr Carmody : Thank you, Chair. Thank you very much for your support.

CHAIR: Now we need ATSB to walk briskly to the table. Welcome. You've had a pretty good run in front of this committee in the time I've been chair, you know. No-one's really given heavy stick. They stand up pretty well.

Senator STERLE: Oh, they copped a bit about eight years ago.

CHAIR: Did they?

Senator STERLE: Absolutely they did—not under Mr Hood's leadership.

Mr Hood : Thank you, Senator.

CHAIR: Money changing hands here!

Senator STERLE: All to do with a missing aeroplane.

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I also find it interesting that Barry O'Sofullofit was very quick to knock off the Aviation & Airports division of the department especially in light of the fact that we are expecting (within the next year at least) the release of the ATSB investigation report into 'The approval processes for the Bulla Road Precinct Retail Outlet Centre'. Of passing coincidence that investigation was apparently updated today...

Summary

On 21 February 2017, a building that is part of the Essendon Airport Bulla Road Precinct retail centre was struck by a Beechcraft King Air B200 (VH-ZCR). The ATSB’s preliminary report for this accident was published in March 2017. This preliminary report stated that the approval process for this building would be a matter for further investigation.

The building was part of the Bulla Road Precinct Retail Outlet Centre development, which was proposed by the lessee of Essendon Airport in 2003 and approved by the Federal Government in 2004.

Due to the specialist nature of the approval process and airspace issues attached to the retail centre development, and not to delay the final report into the accident from February 2017, the ATSB has decided to investigate this matter separately.

The investigation will examine the building approval process from an aviation safety perspective, including any airspace issues associated with the development, to determine the transport safety impact of the development on aviation operations at Essendon Airport.

A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, relevant parties will be immediately notified so that appropriate safety action can be taken.

General details

Date: 21 February 2017 Investigation status: Active
Investigation level: Complex - click for an explanation of investigation levels
Location   (show map): Essendon Airport, Bulla Road Precinct Retail Outlet Centre

Investigation phase:

Final report: Approval
State: Victoria
Report status: Pending
Anticipated completion: 2nd Quarter 2019

Last update 16 April 2019



AFAP come out firing on YMEN runway 08/26 width reduction

 

Hmm...no comment??  


MTF...P2