Name: Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee (part 1 of 3)
Uploaded: 2026-06-01T22:48:00+00:00

15:12 - 17:39

Speaker 85

I now declare open this hearing of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee into the twenty twenty six, twenty seven budget estimates. Before I kick off with the opening statement, we have cameras in the room and anticipate we have more. So just confirming the committee is happy for photographs to be taken. If witnesses feel uncomfortable, please let the secretariat know. And, to media in the room, please behave as per the standing orders.

And if you need clarification on those, you can ask the secretariat as well. I'll begin now by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today and pay my respects to their elders past and present. And I extend that respect to any aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people joining us here today. The committee has fixed Friday, 07/24/2026, as the date for the return of answers to questions taking on notice. The committee's proceedings today will begin with corporate and enabling services, cross portfolio, and general matters within the employment and workplace relations portfolio.

Understanding order 26, the committee must take all of its evidence in public session, and this includes answers to questions given on notice. I remind all witnesses that 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. The senate has endorsed the following test of relevance for questions at senate estimates hearings.

Any questions going to the operations or financial positions of the departments and agencies which are seeking funds through estimates are relevant questions for the purpose of estimates hearings. And 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 that an officer of the Department of the Commonwealth 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. Witnesses are reminded of the senate order specifying the process by which a claim of public interest immunity should be raised, and I now incorporate the public interest immunity statement into the hand side.

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