Senate Economics Legislation Committee
8 June 2026
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Senate Economics Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
10:42 - 13:26
Speaker 10
I declare open this hearing of the Senate Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into the Competition and Consumer Amendment Unfair Trading Practices Bill twenty twenty six. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we are all respectively meeting and pay my respects to their elders past and present. And I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are participating today. The committee will be conducting today's hearing via video and audio teleconference. So we have Senators I can see Senator Charlotte Walker, who is online, and Senator Little Deputy Chair, who is on the phone.
And I believe Senator O'Neill may be joining us at some point. These are public proceedings being video streamed via the Parliament's website live and a hand sub transcript is being made. I remind all witnesses presenting in Australia that in giving evidence to the committee that 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 opinion on matters of policy and 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 officers appearing today are also reminded of the Senate order specifying the process by which a claim of public interest immunity should be raised.
A copy of the order is available from the Secretariat. I remind senators of their obligations under the behaviour code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect. I remind committee members and witnesses who are appearing via video conference and who are not speaking to mute their microphones. And I would now like to welcome representative I think it's just one representative from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, Ms Cynthia Gebbert. I understand that information on parliamentary privilege and the protection of witnesses giving evidence to Senate committees has been provided to you.
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