Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (part 1 of 3)
25 October 2026
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Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
10:46 - 13:34
Speaker 1
I declare open this hearing of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry for the 2026-27 supplementary budget estimates. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the lands on which we meet today, and I pay our respects to their ancestors and elders past and present. I extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are joining us today. Before we begin our estimate session, I'd like to speak on behalf of the committee in sending our thoughts to our colleague, the member for Indi, Dr. Helen Haines MP, her family, her team, and her community as she continues to recover in hospital.
The attack against Dr Haines on Monday was horrific. I know we have all come back to this place distressed and in shock at what has happened to our colleague and our friend. Dr Haines is much loved as a colleague here, as a strong advocate for her community back in Indi, and indeed around the nation as a fierce participant in our democracy. Contributions will be made in the House of Representatives today from 10:00 a.m. and the committee will suspend to enable senators to attend the first of these statements as a mark of respect for Dr Haines. I know investigations are underway by Victoria Police, the AFP and ASIO, and I ask senators to please be mindful during these proceedings.
Dr Haines is known to all of us as a person of integrity and someone who conducts public debate in a robust, but respectful manner. As chair, I'll be especially taking this this spirit on board through our hearings, and I'm sure my fellow senators will join me in this. Now it feels odd to just go into my script after making that statement. Into the Senate estimates proper, the Senate has referred to the committee the particulars of the proposed expenditure for 2026-27 for the portfolios of Home Affairs and the Attorney-General and other related documents. These are supplementary budget estimates proceedings, and the outcomes to be heard during today's proceedings are from the Attorney-General's portfolio.
The committee has set Thursday 5 November 2026 as the date by which written questions on notice are to be provided to the Secretariat. The committee has also decided that answers to written questions on notice should be returned to the Secretariat by 5:00 p.m. Thursday the 17th of December 2026. Under standing order 26, the committee must take all evidence in public session. This includes answers to questions on notice. I remind all witnesses that in giving giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege.
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