Parliament House: Sponsored Access

Fatima Payman

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the President of the Senate, by no later than 5 pm on Friday, 12 September 2025, a document listing all current holders of sponsored Australian Parliament House access cards, including the name of the sponsor and the organisation the passholder represents, but not the name of the passholder.

Anthony Chisholm

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm

As a matter of principle, the government does not support orders for the production of documents being directed to the President. Unlike a minister or an agency of executive government, the President represents the whole Senate. In this instance, the document sought would be a matter of joint parliamentary administration shared with the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is not appropriate for the Senate to order a production of material by the President over which the President does not have unilateral control and it is offensive to the principles of camaraderie between the houses to act in such a way. The matter raised by Senator Payman has been extensively canvassed in recent years, including in an inquiry by the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, which reported just last year.

Sue Lines

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 149, standing in the name of Senator Payman, be agreed to.