THE value of having a Senate not controlled by the government of the day was on show last week.

The upper house of federal parliament has a role in reviewing and voting on laws passed by the House of Representatives.

Despite being set up to give the states a say in Canberra, the Senate basically operates along party lines.

The danger of having a government with the "numbers" in both houses is that it can ram through its laws - witness the Howard Government's ill-advised move to scrap the worker safety net in its Work Choices plan.

But the Federal Government is seven short of a Senate majority, and if it can't get the coalition onside, must get support from the Greens and independents.

This opens up the opportunity for groups or individuals to lobby non-government Senators if they're unhappy with what the government is doing.

Which brings us to last week.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke announced late last year he would scrap a 40 per cent fee subsidy for food export certification from July 1.

He set up working groups with six main food export sectors to work out details and threw in $40 million to upgrade inspection processes and reduce costs.

Most came on side, but some producers in horticulture and meat processing resisted.

Essentially, they were smaller operators less able to absorb higher fees and not convinced they would benefit from inspection efficiencies - and they got the ear of the non-government Senators.

With the new fees due to start today, the Government tabled enabling regulations early last week in the Senate.

The next day, the coalition moved a motion to strike them down, and had the support of Family First Senator Steve Fielding. One more vote and the move would be scuppered when a vote was taken.

With the Greens and independent Senator Nick Xenophon also worried about horti exporters, Mr Burke had to offer concessions - including some guarantees on fee rebates while inspection efficiencies are implemented - to get his plan over the line.

He won over the coalition and the Greens and averted a disallowance vote. But they put him on notice it will be on again next month if he fails to deliver.

Ah, the sweet smell of democracy, Senate-style.