Senate Environment and Communications References Committee

22 September 2026

Senate Environment and Communications References Committee Australian Parliament

20:07 - 20:07
I open this second hearing of the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee's inquiry into the shutdown of the 3G network. 
20:15 - 21:51
Speaker 1
I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land upon which we meet and pay our respects to their elders past and present.  I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.  These are public proceedings being audio streamed via the Parliament House's website and a Hansard transcript is being made. 

If there are no objections, could everybody please put their mobile phones onto silent?  We've got media in the room today and you know the rules about where you're allowed to shoot from and not, so let's try and all be able to manage in this space, which is a bit echoey, so we're just going to have to, if we need to get people to repeat things, we will.  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 being given to the committee, and any such action may be treated by the Senate as contempt.  It is also contempt to give false or misleading evidence. 

The committee generally prefers evidence to be given in public, but under the Senate's resolutions, witnesses can ask for evidence to be given in a private session. 

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