Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee

Senate Estimates hearing,

Searchable transcript of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, 10 Feb 2026 Senate Estimates hearing, with chapters: ORIC Regulatory Compliance and Governance, IBA Economic Empowerment and Housing, ILSC Land Management and Divestment, Gender Equality and Workplace…

Chapters

  1. ORIC Regulatory Compliance and Governance (0:04)

    The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) discusses monitoring non-compliance, tracking Indigenous corporation trends, and director identification systems.

  2. IBA Economic Empowerment and Housing (23:47)

    Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) outlines investment strategies, international travel approvals, and the transition of customers to mainstream banking.

  3. ILSC Land Management and Divestment (56:23)

    The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) details the divestment of Voyages assets and its 30-year history of supporting traditional owners.

  4. Gender Equality and Workplace Reform (1:50:03)

    The Office for Women and WGEA discuss gender-responsive budgeting, workplace segregation, and the national plan to end violence against First Nations women.

  5. APS Leadership and Statutory Appointments (2:44:22)

    The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) addresses leadership transitions, statutory appointment frameworks, and public interest immunity claims.

  6. Robo-debt Lessons and Public Ethics (3:07:08)

    Officials reflect on lessons learned from the Robo-debt scandal and the ongoing efforts to strengthen ethical conduct and transparency within the public service.

  7. APS Reform and AI Oversight (3:40:00)

    Discussion on long-term APS reforms, the oversight of artificial intelligence usage across agencies, and the implementation of anti-semitism training pilots.

  8. Economic Growth and Budget Forecasts (5:24:59)

    The Department of Finance responds to RBA growth forecasts, budget outlook variations, and intergovernmental agreements regarding hospital funding.

  9. Procurement Reform and Consulting Spend (5:47:14)

    Scrutiny of government consulting expenditure, the implementation of procurement reforms, and the management of external labor contracts.

  10. Staffing Levels and Wage Funding (6:30:12)

    The committee examines Average Staffing Level (ASL) modeling, the funding of public service wages, and the impact of inflation on government expenditure.

  11. Deregulation and Regulatory Reform Efforts (7:16:06)

    Discussion on deregulation initiatives, the reduction of regulatory burdens, and the measurement of savings achieved through legislative repeals.

  12. SME Procurement and Defense Estate (7:31:30)

    Examination of SME participation in government procurement and the complex process of divesting surplus defense estate properties.

  13. Services Australia Staffing and Hardship (8:30:52)

    Services Australia discusses workforce management, potential staffing redundancies, and the processing of aged care hardship provisions.

  14. Disaster Support and Fraud Investigations (9:01:02)

    Updates on the activation of disaster recovery payments and investigations into Medicare fraud originating from immigration detention centers.