Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
26 October 2026
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Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee Australian Parliament
12:47 - 15:48
Speaker 1
Good morning everybody. I declare open this hearing of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee looking into the 2023-24 supplementary budget estimates. I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today. The committee has set Thursday the 5th of November as the date by which senators are to submit questions, written questions on notice, and Thursday the 17th of December as the date for the return of answers to those questions taken on notice. The committee's proceedings today will begin with the Indigenous portfolio agencies, followed by the Finance 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 do 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 a contempt to give false or misleading evidence. The Senate has endorsed the following test of relevance of questions at estimates hearings and that is any question going to the operations or financial positions of the departments and agencies which are seeking funds and estimates are relevant questions for the purpose of estimates hearings.
I do remind officers that the Senate has resolved that there are no areas in connection with the expenditure of public funds where any person has the discretion to withhold details or explanations from the Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise. The Senate has resolved also that an officer of a department of the Commonwealth should not be asked to give an opinion 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 the code in the room for people's reference. An officer called to answer a question for the first time should state their full name and the capacity in which they are appearing. And I remind committee members and witnesses who are appearing via video conference and who are not speaking to please mute their microphones. I would like to welcome Senator the Honorable Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister Indigenous Australians, and Mr. David Knight, Chief Executive Officer Indigenous Business Australia, and Mr. Nigel Browne, Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Investment NT, and the other officers that you have brought with you to the table. Minister, would you care to make an opening statement?
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