Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 0:03 to 5:43
The committee opens with an acknowledgement of country and expresses condolences for Dr. Helen Haines following a recent attack, while also addressing administrative hearing matters.
Topics: Integrity, Public safety
Speakers: Varun Ghosh, Unknown Speaker, Hon Murray Watt
open this hearing of the environment and communications legislation committee of the Senate into 2026 2027 budget estimates and I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. At this point, I'd like to speak on behalf of the committee in sending our thoughts to our colleague, the member for Indai, Dr. Helen Haines MP, her family, her team and her community as she continues to recover in hospital. Uh the attack against Dr. Haines on Monday last week was horrific. Uh and I know that many including myself have come to this place u distressed by that attack and also in shock at what has happened to our colleague and our friend and Helen remains uh in all of our thoughts. Dr. Haines is much loved as a colleague here, a strong advocate for her community in Indai uh and as a robust civil and kind participant in our democracy. Uh 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. Uh as a mark of respect for Dr. Haines, I do note that uh there are a number of matters um under investigation by the Victorian Police, the Australian Federal Police and AIO. And I ask senators to please be mindful of this during hearings. Um Dr. Hannes is known to all of us uh as a person of integrity, of warmth uh and I said before and and of kindness um and someone who conducts public debate in a robust but respectful manner. Um as chair I will be taking this context uh for our hearings here today and tomorrow. Uh and I'm sure uh my fellow senators join with me uh in this spirit uh and with Dr. Haines in our minds. the committee has fixed Thursday 17 December 2026 as the date for return of answers to questions on notice. Uh before I commence today's proceedings with the corporate matters and general questions of climate change, energy, environment, and water uh in an unusual move, we are in a position this morning to release the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner uh from their attendance at estimates today. uh and uh they go with our thanks. We now proceed to corporate matters and general questions of climate change, energy, the environment and water portfolio. Understanding 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 a contempt to give false or misleading evidence to the Senate. The Senate has endorsed the following test of relevance of questions at estimates hearings. Any questions going to the operations or financial positions of the departments and agencies which are seeking funds in estimates are relevant questions for the purposes 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 a 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 shall not be asked to give opinions on matters of policy and should not and shall be given reasonable opportunity to refer questions asked to the officer to superior officers or to a minister. This resolution does not preclude questions asking for explanations of uh policies or factual questions about when or 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. I incorporate the public interest immunity statement into Hansard. An officer called to answer a question for the first time should state their full name and the capacity in which they appear. Uh mobile phones should be switched to silent and name plates should be placed in front of the microphone uh prior to Uh senators are aware that one of the roles of the committee chair is to ensure that proceedings are conducted in an orderly way. This is not intended to prevent rigorous questioning of witnesses but to help to ensure that senators exercise their rights and privileges in a careful civil and responsible manner. I also remind senators of their obligations under the behavior code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dign dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect. Uh as chair I intend to uphold Senators are also reminded that questions relating to a bill may be asked during estimates where they concern the operations, administration, or financial position of a department or agency. But questions about the meaning, purpose, intention, or effect of specific provisions of a bill that is the subject of a separate inquiry before the Senate should be pursued through that inquiry process rather than during estimates hearings. Uh these are public hearings being video streamed live via the parliament's website and a handard transcript is being made. If there are no objections, the committee authorizes media and photography uh media recording and photography of the committee's proceedings in accordance with broadcasting resolution three and I remind media that this permission may be revoked at any time and that media in the room must follow the direction of secretariat staff. Um I have one further admin matter which is that um we will um not have uh AMO appearing before us uh in the program today uh as a as a result of a further update uh before and I think that's the last administrative matter I have to deal with. I now welcome um Senator the Honorable Mari Watt, Minister for the Environment um representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. U Minister, did you wish to make an
opening statement? I don't chair but good to see you all.
>> Thank you minister. I also welcome Mr. Mike Kaiser the secretary of the department of climate change energy the environment and water. Mr. Kaiser do you wish to make an opening statement?