Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee (part 1 of 3)
25 October 2026
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Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
10:21 - 13:16
Speaker 3
It is the 2026-27 supplementary budget estimates. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today and pay my respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today. The committee has set Thursday the 5th of November 2026 as the date by which senators are to submit written questions on notice and 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 the parliamentary departments followed by the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio as listed on today's program. Under standing order 26, the committee must take all evidence in public session and 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 is also contempt to give false or misleading evidence.
The Senate has endorsed the following test of relevance for questions at estimates hearings. Any question going to the operation or 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 discretion to withhold details or explanations from the Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise. The Senate has resolved that an officer of a 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 explanation of policies or factual questions about when and how policies were adopted.
Witnesses are reminded of the Senate order specifying the process by which a claim of public interest immunity should be raised, and I incorporate the public immunity statement into the Hansard. I remind senators of their obligation under the behavior code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness, and respect, and as is my usual practice, I have provided copies of that code in the room for people's reference. Before we begin, I would like to, on behalf of the committee, send our thoughts to our colleague, the member for Indi, Dr. Helen Haines, and also to her family and her team and her community as she continues to recover in hospital. The attack against Dr. Haines on Monday last week was a horrendous incident and quite horrific, and I know that we have all come back to this place in some level of stress and shock. Dr. Haines is much loved as a colleague here and as a strong advocate for her community and for democracy in general.
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