Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee

Senate Estimates hearing,

Searchable transcript of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, 27 Oct 2026 Senate Estimates hearing, with chapters: First Nations Investment and Business Strategy, Remote Stores and Indigenous Corporations, ORIC Compliance and Township Leasing, Gender Impact of Tax…

Chapters

  1. First Nations Investment and Business Strategy (18:22)

    Aboriginal Investment NT and Indigenous Business Australia discuss capitalization, Future Fund strategies, and community grants.

  2. Remote Stores and Indigenous Corporations (47:20)

    Outback Stores addresses remote community food security and ORIC provides updates on the ATLA special administration and Mount Isa housing.

  3. ORIC Compliance and Township Leasing (1:38:20)

    ORIC discusses corporate compliance and the ANAO report, followed by Township Leasing's review of home ownership and executive appointments.

  4. Gender Impact of Tax Reform (2:23:09)

    The Office for Women is questioned on the gender impact of tax reforms and small business policy advice.

  5. Gender Identity and Workplace Equality (2:47:12)

    Discussion covers gender-neutral language, the Sex Discrimination Act, and WGEA's data on the gender pay gap and leadership.

  6. Climate Change and Emergency Safety (3:35:36)

    The Office for Women addresses the impact of climate change on women and the safety implications of the OzAlert emergency system.

  7. APS Integrity and Discrimination (4:01:06)

    The APSC responds to media reports on pregnancy discrimination and provides updates on the PwC tax leak integrity investigation.

  8. Secretary Terminations and SES Policy (5:26:36)

    Questioning focuses on the termination of departmental secretaries, record-keeping standards, and the use of NDAs in the public service.

  9. Strategic Commissioning and External Labor (5:50:52)

    The APSC defends the Strategic Commissioning Framework and discusses efforts to reduce reliance on external labor and consultants.

  10. Public Service Size and Conduct (6:45:35)

    Officials debate the growth of the public service, enterprise bargaining progress, and behavioral standards for parliamentary witnesses.

  11. Government Consulting and Fiscal Policy (8:04:41)

    Australian Government Consulting details its cost-recovery model, while the Department of Finance discusses spending as a share of GDP.

  12. KPMG Review and Budget Savings (8:36:18)

    The Department of Finance addresses the KPMG review, whistleblower allegations, and the strengthening of the supplier code of conduct.

  13. Legal Costs and Balance Sheet Spending (9:13:49)

    Comcover provides updates on the live cattle export class action legal costs, followed by a debate on balance sheet spending.

  14. Infrastructure Grants and Regulatory Reform (9:38:21)

    The Department of Finance is questioned on infrastructure grant guidelines, regulatory reform, and budget forecasting accuracy.