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The submission argued for:

  • the referral of bills to committees
  • the appointment of more ad hoc (select) and permanent committees to pursue inquiries into affairs of government and
  • the appointment of committees to report on grievances against administrative decisions and to increase parliamentary awareness of scientific and technological issues.

The Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet advised the Prime Minister Harold Holt that the proposal be rejected by the government as it would substitute ‘Senate control for Government control’. The Cabinet decided ‘it would not receive the paper or take official cognisance of it’.

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National Archives of Australia A4940, C916, p. 38

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Gordon Sinclair Davidson, Senator for South Australia, Interview with Bruce Edwards on early attitudes to parliamentary committees, 1984-86

National Library of Australia, TRC 4900/41, session 16, 00:29:05-00:30:41.
Full interview available at https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-217655658/listen.