Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 2:51:51 to 2:55:41
Discussion regarding the Prime Minister's decision to grant additional staff to specific backbenchers and the lack of legal obligation for equitable processing.
Topics: Government spending, Workplace culture
Speakers: Senator The Hon Don Farrell, Senator The Hon James McGrath, Unknown Speaker, Speaker 1
>> We rotate. Senator Payman has a couple of questions. Um, as a block,
>> I I what I could do is I I've got a question that Senator Payman might be interested in and then I can just see the floor to Senator Payman. I suspect that if I can't read Senator Payman, but um I'm going to ask about staffing. So
>> off you go.
>> So I'll just do a very quick couple of questions. Senator Payman. Um, thank you, Minister, for the LA latest staffing table. Um, can I confirm that it was the decision of the prime minister uh to grant um Senator Tur as a backbencher of of the Labor Party uh two additional positions, the two personal staff positions? That that was a decision of the prime
Well, um I I think you've got to put it into context. Um Senator McGrath when she was when Senator Tur was part of the um Lambi group. um she was I'm not exactly sure how this occurred whether it was an allocation to Senator Lambie that was then shared with Senator Tur uh or an allocation to Senator Tur at the time she split from Senator Lambie. But um either way um the allocation that she now has is as a result of that decision not a subsequent decision on her joining the uh the Labor Party. But
but as a as a backbencher of the Labour um she is two additional staffers that other backbenches actually regardless of their political affiliation uh don't receive. have you uh minister does the prime minister think that's does the prime minister think that's that's fair?
>> That's not entire what you've just said is not entirely accurate. there are other backbenches who have more than the five allocated uh staff. So there are some others who have that number. Um unfortunately I I've given away my uh copies of the uh of the uh
>> Don't give it to him. >> No, you're sorry. Yes, please. But they have specific roles um minister um and and where where where I'm coming from and I'll proceed to Senator Payman now through you through you chair is that >> I suppose it's a it's a matter of equity of of treating like with with like and that we have a government back venture who has two additional staff with no
>> additional roles. The alternative would have been for Mrs. um Senator Tur to have to terminate those two employees. And I have to say in the circumstances I think the prime minister made the right decision.
>> So what was the prime minister's decision?
>> It was the prime minister's decision to allow her to keep the two appointments that she had previously made.