Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee — hearing of 27 October 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

26 October 2026

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Contents updated at 14:47

Hearing of the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee examining the 2026–27 supplementary budget estimates for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio.

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Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee — 2026–27 supplementary budget estimates (Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry)

10:03

Opening statements

10:03

Chair Sterle — opening of hearing and procedural statements

10:03

Secretary Anderson — opening statement

13:12

Corporate matters — biosecurity cost recovery and ANAO Report No. 4

15:54

Question of Senator Canavan on recent biosecurity cost recovery results

15:54

Question of Senator Canavan on overcharging and sources of surpluses

17:19

Question of Senator Canavan on ANAO finding about managing under- and over-recovery risk

19:05

Question of Senator Canavan on over-recovery borne by farmers and prospects of refunds

20:45

Question of Senator Canavan on $26 million surplus, cash reserves and use of over-recovery

24:16

Question of senators on rising biosecurity revenues and productivity incentives

25:44

Question of Senator Canavan on ANAO finding about minimum efficient costs

27:02

Question of Senator Canavan on disagreement with Auditor-General and industry concerns

28:36

Question of Senator Canavan on only agreeing in principle to ANAO recommendation 1

30:57

Question of Senator Canavan on monopoly power and level of scrutiny of DAFF charging

32:06

Question of Senator Canavan on 2024 reviews of the charging model and their impact

33:33

Questions of Senator Canavan on unmodelled prices, ministerial advice and cross‑subsidisation risks

34:43

Questions of an unidentified senator on ANAO draft timing and self‑assessed clearance (SAC) over‑recovery

36:48

Questions of Senator Cadell on withdrawn charging guidelines and current pricing framework

44:16

Question of Senator Cadell on staff positions funded by cost recovery over‑revenue

45:49

Questions of Senator Cadell on revenue growth, standard charges and current cost‑recovery position

46:43

Question of Senator Cadell on charging model reviews and costing pilot since 2014

48:28

Questions of Senator Cadell on ANAO findings about domestic staff travel approvals

49:36

Questions of Senator Cadell on paid airline memberships and status benefits

50:52

Questions of Senator Cadell on remote work locations of senior executives

52:06

Outcome 1 — Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry policy and programs

54:16

Organisation of Outcome 1 hearing and arrival of officials

54:16

Fertiliser and fuel security — response to Middle East conflict

56:01

Question of Chair Sterle on Middle East conflict impacts on fertiliser and government response

56:01

Questions of Chair Sterle on fertilizer facility impact on crop outlook and urea volumes

01:04:39

Questions of Chair Sterle on deferral of full export cost recovery and broader farmer support

01:08:36

Questions of Senator Scarr on fertiliser security facility participants, market impacts and pause decision

01:16:49

Agricultural workforce and working holiday maker (backpacker) visa changes

01:42:25

Questions of Senator Bilyk on cuts to working holiday maker visas and farm labour impacts

01:42:25

Deforestation, land clearing monitoring and COP28 commitments

01:55:32

Questions of Senator Bilyk on deforestation monitoring and Australia’s 2030 commitments

01:55:32

Fertiliser and fuel security — response to Middle East conflict (cont.)

02:26:33

Clarifications from departmental officials on additional fertiliser facility referrals

02:26:33

Taxation of discretionary trusts and farm management deposits

02:28:28

Questions of Senator Canavan on trust tax changes and farm management deposits

02:28:28

Questions of Senator Canavan on CGT, trust tax changes and farm management deposits

02:41:52

Agricultural workforce and working holiday maker (backpacker) visa changes (cont.)

02:53:21

Questions of Senator Bilyk on backpacker visa cuts and food production growth

02:53:21

Tasmanian Natural Asset Trust grant for Rushy Lagoon

02:56:56

Questions of Senator Colbeck on Rushy Lagoon grant eligibility, tenure, Commonwealth co‑funding and project viability

02:56:56

Climate risk to agriculture, adaptation planning and production forecasts

03:48:05

Questions of Senator on climate risk ratings, El Niño impacts and modelling for agriculture

03:48:05

Tasmanian forestry bilateral agreement under reformed EPBC Act

04:00:44

Questions of Senator on proposed Commonwealth–Tasmania forestry bilateral agreement and regulatory consequences

04:00:44

Tasmanian Natural Asset Trust grant for Rushy Lagoon (cont.)

04:06:11

Questions of Senator Colbeck on plantation support program project delays and possible extension

04:06:11

National food security strategy

05:09:39

Questions of Senator Cadell on timetable, interdepartmental work and risk modelling for the national food security strategy

05:09:39

Questions of Senator Canavan and Senator Cadell on population growth, processed foods, dams and labour in the food security strategy

05:27:55

First Nations participation in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and Indigenous ranger roles

05:41:46

Questions of Senator on First Nations policy engagement and Indigenous rangers

05:41:46

Agricultural trade diversification and market access outcomes

05:45:29

Questions of Senator Ciccone on trade diversification and market access benefits

05:45:29

New EPBC National EPA rules and impacts on agriculture

05:49:52

Questions of Senator Scarr on National EPA guidance and agricultural land use

05:49:52

Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

26 October 2026

Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee Tue, 27 Oct 2026 Australian Parliament

10:02 - 10:06

Speaker 1

Testing Hansard. Minister, you good to go?

10:06 - 11:24

Speaker 2

Getting serious, the jacket's coming off. Right. I declare open this hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee into the 2026-27 supplementary budget estimates, and I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today and pay my respects to their elders both past, present and emerging. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the room here today. The committee has fixed Thursday the 17th of December 2026 as the date for the return of answers to questions taken on notice.

The committee's proceedings today will begin with corporate matters, outcomes of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio. 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 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's also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence. The Senate has endorsed the following test of relevance of questions at estimates hearings.

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