Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

Senate Estimates hearing,

Searchable transcript of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, 26 Oct 2026 Senate Estimates hearing, with chapters: Antisemitism and Child Safety Reforms, Data Breaches and AI in Courts, Fair Work Court and Access to Justice, First Nations Justice and Closing the Gap,…

Chapters

  1. Antisemitism and Child Safety Reforms (0:00)

    The committee discusses social cohesion and antisemitism in relation to Human Rights Commission awards before receiving an update on national child safety reforms and working with children checks.

  2. Data Breaches and AI in Courts (1:34:58)

    Officials address reports of data breaches involving transcription service provider VIQ Solutions and discuss the implementation of generative AI within the court system.

  3. Fair Work Court and Access to Justice (1:52:34)

    The department provides details on the establishment of a new Fair Work Court and evaluates the effectiveness of the National Access to Justice Partnership in delivering legal assistance.

  4. First Nations Justice and Closing the Gap (2:12:52)

    Senators question the slow implementation of Royal Commission recommendations regarding Aboriginal deaths in custody and the deteriorating targets for First Nations youth justice.

  5. Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs (2:35:47)

    The committee scrutinizes the 'Stop It Now' Australia service and its online learning modules designed to prevent child sexual abuse through clinical intervention.

  6. Copyright Policy and AI Consultations (2:50:29)

    Discussion focuses on the government's consultation process regarding copyright law and artificial intelligence, specifically examining the proposed 'opt-out' model for rights holders.

  7. Technology Regulation and Legal Aid (3:40:55)

    Officials discuss the whole-of-government approach to AI regulation and address funding shortfalls for community legal centers in regional and remote areas.

  8. Sex Discrimination and Biological Rights (4:15:46)

    The committee examines the legal implications of the Tickle v Giggle ruling and the protection of biological women's spaces under the Sex Discrimination Act.

  9. Fraud Prevention and Modern Slavery (4:46:12)

    The department outlines emerging priorities in counter-fraud capability and addresses conflict of interest assessments regarding modern slavery risk audits.

  10. Privacy Tranche 2 and Adtech (5:08:48)

    Officials provide an update on the second tranche of privacy reforms, focusing on adtech regulation, data harvesting, and consent standards for wearable technology.

  11. Ben Roberts-Smith and Pacific Relations (5:55:23)

    The committee questions the department on the prosecution of Ben Roberts-Smith and receives an update on the Pacific Islands Law Officers Network (PILON).

  12. Lobbying, FITS, and National Security (6:31:31)

    Discussion covers breaches of the Lobbying Code of Conduct, the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme, and the management of high-risk terrorist offender orders.

  13. NACC Referrals and Conflict Management (7:10:47)

    The National Anti-Corruption Commission addresses referrals regarding community grants and explains the management of internal conflicts of interest for senior officials.

  14. Federal Court and Data Sovereignty (8:14:07)

    The Federal Court details unauthorized overseas access to court recordings in India and reviews historical data privacy incidents involving Oscript.