Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee (part 1 of 2)
19 February 2026
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Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
12:22 - 14:43
Speaker 26
I declare open this hearing of the senate finance and public administration legislation committee into the public governance performance and accountability amendment ban unethical contractors bill twenty twenty five. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. I extend that respect to all aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today. I'm senator Karen Grogan, the chair of the legislation committee. I'm joined in the room by senator Barbara Pocock who introduced this bill that we're looking...
Taking evidence on this morning, and we're also joined online by senators Whitaker, Dowling, and Collins. The committee will be conducting today's hearing via video conference and in person. These are public proceedings being video streamed via the parliament's website, and a hand side transcript is being made. I remind all witnesses that in giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence given to a committee, and such action may be treated by the senate as contempt.
It is also contempt to give false or misleading evidence. Witnesses have a right to request to be heard in camera. The senate has resolved that an officer of the department of the Commonwealth or of the state shall not be asked to give opinions on matter of policy and shall be given reasonable opportunity to refer questions asked of the officer to superior officers or to a minister. This resolution does not preclude questions asking for explanation of policies or factual questions about when and how policies were adopted. If a witness objects to answering a question, they should state the grounds upon which the objection is made, and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer, having regard to the ground on which has been claimed.
If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. I remind senators of their obligations under the behavior code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness, and respect. And I remind committee members and witnesses who are appearing via video conference and who are not speaking to keep, themselves on mute. I would now like to welcome representatives from the Tax Justice Network Australia appearing by video conference, and we have mister Zerzdak. I understand the information on parliamentary provision protection of witnesses giving evidence to senate committees has been provided to you.
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