Commonwealth Entities Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

Senator GREEN (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Tourism, Assistant Minister for Pacific Island Affairs and Assistant Minister for Northern Australia) (14:18): The Department of the Senate and the Department of the House of Representatives provide drafting for, as you referred to, non-government senators and House of Representatives members. That is separate to the function of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, and there are separately funded staff.

What may happen, from time to time, as you would be aware as a former attorney-general, is that the OPC may second parliamentary counsel officers or drafters into the Department of Senate and the Department of the House of Representatives to perform those functions.