Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 5:12:11 to 5:15:31
Senator Kovacic queries the status of planning work immediately following the election and seeks information regarding steering committee minutes and agendas from May 2025.
Topics: Infrastructure, Integrity
Speakers: Senator Maria Kovacic, Lok Potticary, Jessica Hall, Senator Glenn Sterle, Unknown Speaker
>> Okay. So, you'll confirm that on notice? >> Yes. Yes, we will. Um, on the 8th of May 2025, 5 days after the federal election, Miss Swanson told NBN News that, and I quote, "The planning work has been done and I've already commenced negotiations and discussions with the state minister and also transport for New South Wales." End quote. Could you confirm for me what planning work had actually been completed by the 8th of May, 2025?
No, I need to take that on notice.
>> I think given the specifics of the dates that you're giving us, um we'll probably have to take as opposed to um generic
>> Well, it was about 5 days after the election.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> So, very close to the election >> given the election was on a Saturday. So, we had Sunday 3rd, fourth, fifth, sixth. So, Thursday after the election. So in in terms of proximity um to the new government being formed um could you tell me whether the department had advised Minister King or Miss Swanson that planning was complete at roughly that point in time.
>> I'd want to check to come back to you to to be certain, Senator. So I'll take that on notice,
>> of course. Would it be likely or unlikely or you prefer not to speculate?
Uh I don't want to speculate. I'm also just conscious that um you're referring to some comments that I don't have in front of me and some sequencing. So I just want to make sure I get the right answers to you. S
>> of course. Um so then I go to table C in the table documents or sorry document C in the table documents. I want to draw your attention um to the FOI determination on this project which identifies seven pages of steering comm steering committee minutes dated on the 8th of May 2025 and that's line item 11. Are you able to tell me what the purpose of that meeting was and who attended that meeting?
>> I'll have to make that last question
>> supplementary to that and then I'll thank you. Thank you, chair.
>> I will come back to you on that, Senator, given that the information was refused. I just want to make sure that I'm um being >> the decision um under the FOI act for that. So I'll come back to you on that one on notice
>> because the other thing and this is my supplementary to that that concerns me about this schedule of documents is we have item 11 says steering committee minutes with seven pages of documents but nowhere in that schedule is there actually a steering committee agenda or reference to a meeting actually being
Uh well, I guess this is a schedule of documents. Um so I'm not sure what you you mean in terms of
>> Well, then I'll I'll reframe my question. Are you able to um obtain for me a copy of the agenda on notice of that steering committee meeting that those minutes reference?
>> I'll take that on notice and see what I can provide you, Senator.
>> Thank you.
>> Oh, thanks, Senator Cabbassi. I'm going to Senator LGRA. Senator LGRA.