DOCUMENTS

Senator KOVACIC (New South Wales) (16:04): At the request of Senator Antic, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than midday on Friday, 9 October 2026: (a) all documents, including advice, modelling papers, internal correspondence, briefing notes, analyses and minutes and records of decisions relating to: (i) the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) review of its methodology for calculating expected and excess mortality, and the decision to replace the previous Serfling-based methodology with a Generalised Additive Model (GAM), (ii) sensitivity testing comparing the Serfling-based methodology with the GAM, including selection of the GAM baseline period, the seven-year rolling baseline, inclusion of COVID-19 years, and exclusion of 2022, (iii) the estimates of expected and excess mortality for the calendar years 2024 and 2025 calculated using the Serfling-based methodology, including weekly or monthly estimates where available, (iv) consideration of the overall numerical effect of adopting the GAM methodology on reported expected and excess deaths for 2024 and 2025, (v) the change in the research question from estimating mortality expected in the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic to estimating mortality in circumstances where COVID-19 is considered a persistent contributor to mortality, and (vi) any external consultation or peer review of the proposed methodology, including reports, comments, advice, correspondence, records of meetings, ABS responses and documents identifying the experts, agencies or organisations consulted or participating in the peer-review process; and (b) the final briefing, recommendation, approval or other record authorising the adoption and publication of the new excess mortality methodology.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that general business notice of motion No. 653 standing in the name of Senator Antic be agreed to.