Name: Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (part 1 of 3)
Uploaded: 2026-05-24T22:48:00+00:00

12:53 - 15:10

Speaker 37

I declare open this hearing of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee into the twenty twenty six, twenty seven budget estimates. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging. The committee has fixed Friday, 07/17/2026 as the date for the return of answers to questions taken on notice. The committee's proceedings today will begin with corporate matters and general questions of the climate change energy, the environment, and water portfolio. Understanding order 26, the committee must take all evidence in public session and that that includes answers to questions on notice.

I remind 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 answers. The senate has endorsed the following test of relevance of questions at estimates hearings. Any questions going to operations or financial positions of the departments and agencies which are seeking funds in estimates are relevant questions for the purposes of estimates hearings.

That is a broad test of relevance. I remind officers that the senate has resolved that there are no areas in connection with the expenditure of public funds where any person has a discretion to withhold details or explanations from the parliament or its committees unless the parliament has expressly provided otherwise. The senate has resolved also that an officer of department of the commonwealth should not be asked to give opinions on matters of policy and shall be given reasonable opportunity to refer questions asked to the officers 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. Witnesses are reminded of the senate order specifying the process by which a claim of public interest immunity should be raised.

I incorporate the public interest immunity statement into Hansen. An officer called to answer a question for the first time should state their full name and the capacity in which they appear. Again, mobile phones should be switched to silent. Senators are aware that one of the roles of the committee chair is to ensure that proceedings are conducted in an orderly way. This is not intended to prevent rigorous questioning of witnesses but to help ensure that senators exercise their rights, privileges, and responsibilities in a careful, civil, and appropriate manner.

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