Senate Economics Legislation Committee

Senate Estimates hearing,

Searchable transcript of the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, 12 Feb 2026 Senate Estimates hearing, with chapters: RBA Monetary Policy and Inflation, RBA Housing Credit and Property Investment, RBA Productivity and Economic Outlook, Treasury Housing Supply and FOI Modeling, Treasury Social…

Chapters

  1. RBA Monetary Policy and Inflation (0:00)

    The Reserve Bank of Australia discusses the impact of inflation and government spending on monetary policy decisions.

  2. RBA Housing Credit and Property Investment (29:20)

    Officials examine the drivers of investor credit growth and its impact on the housing market.

  3. RBA Productivity and Economic Outlook (46:56)

    The committee reviews productivity growth assumptions and the broader economic outlook for Australia.

  4. Treasury Housing Supply and FOI Modeling (1:44:22)

    Treasury officials address housing supply targets and the redaction of modeling documents in FOI requests.

  5. Treasury Social Housing and Infrastructure (2:07:40)

    Discussion focuses on the delivery of social housing and the impact of construction costs on supply.

  6. Treasury Housing Australia Future Fund (3:59:51)

    The committee examines the financial structure and disbursement progress of the Housing Australia Future Fund.

  7. Treasury Home Guarantee Scheme Performance (4:10:57)

    Officials provide data on the performance and default rates of the Home Guarantee Scheme.

  8. Treasury Rental Crisis and Social Housing (4:17:41)

    Senators question the government's response to the rental crisis and the timeline for the National Housing Plan.

  9. Treasury Board Governance and Migration (4:59:39)

    Treasury discusses staff turnover at Housing Australia and the impact of migration on housing demand.

  10. Industry Media Transcripts and Lithium (5:34:56)

    The department addresses the publication of media transcripts and the closure of lithium processing facilities.

  11. Industry Budget Measures and AI Safety (6:02:14)

    Officials explain budget reprioritizations and the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute.

  12. Industry Growth Program and Smelters (6:58:05)

    The hearing reviews the Industry Growth Program and the financial assistance package for the Mount Isa smelter.

  13. Industry Whyalla Steelworks and Liberty (7:37:06)

    Discussion centers on the sales process for Whyalla Steelworks and the viability of the Liberty Bell Bay project.

  14. Industry Energy Grid and Reconstruction Fund (8:41:26)

    The department outlines energy grid underwriting and the investment mandate of the National Reconstruction Fund.