Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Senator Lionel Murphy (NSW, ALP) had long supported the introduction of standing committees covering all areas of government activity. His motion for the establishment of seven committees ‘to inquire into and report upon such matters as are referred to it by the Senate, including any Bills, Estimates or Statements of Expenditure, messages, petitions, inquiries or papers’ was carried 27 votes to 26.

Leader of the Government in the Senate Senator Kenneth Anderson (NSW, LIB) was concerned by the ‘tremendous strain’ the workload of the standing committees would place on senators and moved a second proposal for five estimates committees. His motion was carried 27 votes to 26 by the Senate, in addition to the Murphy proposal.

A third option by Democratic Labor Party Senator Vince Gair (Qld, DLP) supported six standing committees and a committee on statutory corporations. He proposed establishing two committees initially, with four other committees to be added over a period of not less than 12 months. His proposal was lost when the vote was tied 26 to 26 (section 23 of the Constitution requires questions supported by a majority of senators to pass).

Senator Ian Wood (Qld, LIB) was a key figure in determining the shape of the committee system. He crossed the floor to support Senator Murphy’s proposal for the establishment of standing committees and crossed the floor a second time to vote against the proposal by Senator Gair. As the long-serving chair of the Senate Regulations and Ordinances Committee, Senator Wood was keenly aware of the valuable work that could be achieved by committees.