Senate Economics Legislation Committee, , 5:08:38 to 5:10:46
Discussion on the department's processes for managing private interest declarations and conflicts during the appointment of board members.
Topics: Integrity, Public service staffing
Speakers: Senator Andrew Bragg, Amara Foster, Katrina Di Marco, Unknown Speaker, Hon Katy Gallagher
So, Senator, we can talk through the appointment processes in general, but specific appointments would be discussed uh in the group responsible for those appointments. So, ASIC with Markets Group, uh C with Markets group, uh, other some of them might be with me and revenue group, but what about the appointments to how um Housing Australia for Housing Australia would be the housing group Senator?
The whole thing.
If it's about sort of the department's processes with regards to appointments, um, we can process, yes, right.
So do you have a a conflicts of interest register that you maintain for the treasury portfolio, or is that maintained by the GBE or whatever it is? What is Housing Australia? Is it a GBE?
Uh, it's a Comwealth Corporate Entity Senator.
Right, okay. So who has the conflicts of interest register? Yeah, the board, which goes through your department.
So I might ask Miss Miss Foster to step in here.
Hi, Senator Amara Cluster, Assistant Secretary Governance Branch. Um, so as Mr. Marco mentioned, there's uh two parts to the conflict of interest process. Um, as part of the appointment process, the candidate um will complete a private interest declaration um for consideration for appointment. Once the person has commenced um in the particular entity, so in this case in Housing Australia, they would fall under the particular policy of that entity.
Okay, so I have to ask. So who do I ask about conflicts management at Housing Australia? Sure you don't ask Housing Australia itself.
Yes. You would ask Australia about the government. Well, they will have a policy that relates to their particular entity, the requirements that they might have, for instance, in regards to their meetings and their roles.
Senator, is this in relation to Ms. Sherry and her role in the Supermembers Council?
It may be.
It may be.
So Senator, I like that you're asking questions at Senator Smith.
Well, I'm let's come to the question.
Maybe you could be a poly one day.
We know your style. You've been around the bush before you get to the point. So I'm not sure accelerating that.
What are we talking about? Very simple questions.