 These reforms were also significant in that they gave to Senate committees the role of examining the budget ( what is referred to as the estimates process or estimates hearings ) , which had hitherto been confined to the Senate and its committee of the whole . The role of the committees was enhanced by three subsequent developments . First , in 1982 the Scrutiny of Bills Committee was established , which , in examining all bills , played a role that complemented that of the examination of all delegated legislation by the Regulations and Ordinances Committee . Second , in 1989 the Senate adopted procedures for the systematic referral of bills to committees , increasing the level of legislative scrutiny taking place within parliament . Third , in 1993 , the committees adopted a more extensive procedure for consideration of the budget , creating a second opportunity each year for Senators to follow up issues identified during the initial budget estimates hearings . These second hearings are referred to as supplementary budget estimates . Though the committee system was restructured in 1994 , 2006 and again in 2009 , the range of functions has remained essentially the same . 
