Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee (part 1 of 2)
3 May 2026
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Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee Australian Parliament
12:52 - 14:57
Speaker 14
Good morning, everybody. I declare open the... This hearing of the senate, foreign affairs, affairs, and trade references committee's inquiry into the management of defense estate assets. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past and present. I extend that respect to aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.
The committee will be conducting today's hearing in person and via video conference. I am senator Collins, chair of the committee, and I am joined in the room by, I'm joined online by deputy chair senator Takone and, joined in the room by senator Shubridge. Also joining us online, perhaps a little bit later, will be senators Lambie, McLaughlin, and Whitaker. I know senator Whitaker Whitaker has joined us online already. These are public proceedings being video streamed live via the parliament's website, and a hand side transcript transcript has been made.
And 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 a contempt. It is also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence. Witnesses also have a right to request to be heard in camera. The senate has resolved that an officer of a department of the Commonwealth or of a state shall not be asked to give opinions on matters 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 explanations of policies or factual questions about when and how policies were adopted. If a witness objects to answering a question, they should state the ground upon which the objection is made, and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer having regard to the ground which is claimed. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. Commonwealth on... Officers appearing today are also reminded of the senate order specifying the process for which a claim of interest...
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