The Government spent $311 million in six weeks over summer, including $345,000 for publisher News Corp to build a website for a spelling bee.

Key points: A Senate committee is now documenting spending under laws that are made without the approval of Parliament

A Senate committee is now documenting spending under laws that are made without the approval of Parliament It is chaired by senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who lost her frontbench seat during the 2018 Liberal leadership change

It is chaired by senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who lost her frontbench seat during the 2018 Liberal leadership change Delegated legislation does not need a vote in Parliament, and hundreds of these laws are made each year

The money was spent without the Parliament being able to scrutinise it before it was approved.

The Committee for Delegated Legislation, led by former Liberal frontbencher senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, has spoken out about lawmaking and spending the Government has been sneaking through without having to win over the Senate crossbench.

The lawmaking — known as delegated legislation, or regulations — does not have to pass Parliament but can be overturned by a successful disallowance motion within 15 sitting days of it being made.

The committee has highlighted more than $300 million in Government spending implemented without getting laws passed in Parliament across just six weeks in December and January.

The money for the spelling bee — dubbed the "Prime Minister's Spelling Bee" — comes from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, which did not respond to requests to clarify how the grant came about.

The explanatory statement said: "The Spelling Bee will be built as a standalone product to be integrated into the Kids News website for easy access in all Year Three to Eight Australian classrooms in early 2020."

"Government funding will cover the cost of the technology build and News Corp will bear the costs of ongoing operation, support and promotion of the Spelling Bee."

Other spelling bees have operated in recent years across Australia, including the NSW Premier's spelling bee and the Great Australian Spelling Bee reality television series on Network Ten.

The statement also said an independent review would not be available for the grant, and the grant would be directly negotiated and agreed with News Corp.

"No third party's interests will be affected by the making of the grant to News Corp," it said.

In November, reforms that gave the committee wider powers were successful in the Senate even though they were opposed by the Government.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells was even blocked from speaking on the reforms by her Government colleagues.

She later said that, having "regrettably" been denied the opportunity to speak earlier, it was her "duty" to act on the reforms of the committee.

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is chair of the now-powerful committee scrutinising "delegated legislation". ( ABC News: Matt Roberts )

Transparency 'sorely needed'

The $311 million in funding over summer includes $100 million for regional airports announced in the lead-up to the election last year, as well as $28 million for the development of a jobs "data engine", $22 million for fisheries programs and a payment to the DP Jones Nursing Home in Murchison, Victoria.

The home was in administration and the payment was designed to keep it operating until it sold. It has since closed.

Labor's aged care spokeswoman Julie Collins described the payment as "unprecedented".

"The Morrison Government must come clean on why it has provided this unprecedented funding while other nursing homes across the country at risk of closure have not," she said.

"With so many nursing homes across rural and regional Australia at risk of closure, the Government should answer questions about this process."

A response from the Department of Health provided to the Senate said: "this was a decision of Government".

"In certain circumstances, the department will make one-off or short-term payments to support continuity of care to residents," the statement reads.

"This is considered on a case-by-case basis with the terms of any payment unique to the particular circumstances."

Anne Twomey, a professor from the University of Sydney's Law School, said the committee's work would make senators and the public more aware of funding and potential policy problems.

"This can only improve both transparency and governmental accountability through the committee system, which is sorely needed," she said.

Last week, the committee also drew attention to the regulation creating the dairy industry code of conduct, as it "appears to implement significant elements of a regulatory scheme, and addresses matters which have been subject to a number of significant external reviews".

Labor has been vocal about the regulation of the dairy industry but is not considering a disallowance motion for the code of conduct.