Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee (part 1 of 3)
1 June 2026
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Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
17:52 - 20:01
Speaker 67
Good morning, everybody. I declare open this hearing of the community affairs legislation committee into budget estimates twenty twenty six twenty seven. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians on the land on which we meet and and pay my respects to, elders past, present, and emerging and extend that respect to anyone in the room or online, today who is, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. The committee has set Friday 07/24/2026 as the date for the return of answers to questions taken on notice. The committee would appreciate if senators could provide any written questions on notice to the secretariat by Friday June 12.
I'm senator Karen Grogan, and I am stepping into chair, the estimates hearing, substituting for senator Dorinda Cox who's unable to be with us this week. The committee's proceedings today will begin with the Department of Health, Disability and Aging, Whole of Portfolio and Corporate Matters. The committee will be conducting today's hearing in person and also via teleconference. Understanding order 26, the committee must take all evidence in public session, and this includes answers to questions on notice. I do 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. The senate has endorsed the following test of relevance of questions at estimates hearings. Any questions going to the operational financial position of the departments and agencies which are seeking funds in estimates are relevant questions for the purpose of estimates hearings. 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 so.
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. We
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