There are only so many hours in a day and dedicating 13 of them to Senate estimates is a big commitment.
Instead, here’s an overview of what you missed during the first day of this estimates fortnight.
Chinese brand DJI ‘suspended’ in Home Affairs Department, Australian Border Force
The Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force have suspended a fleet of Chinese-made drones in the wake of security concerns.
Drones and accessories made by Chinese tech company DJI have been grounded within Home Affairs after a portfolio-wide direction last week.
West Block refurbished to include office accommodation DPS staff
About 200 staff from the Department of Parliamentary Services will move into the historic West Block building in the parliamentary triangle.
Department of Parliamentary Services secretary Rob Stefanic told a Senate estimates hearing on Monday that $15.1 million in federal budget funding, across four years, would facilitate the move.
‘Massive loopholes’ giving lobbyists access: Pocock
Independent senator David Pocock says “massive loopholes” are allowing tobacco lobbyists to evade transparency at Parliament House.
During a parliamentary hearing on Monday, Senator Pocock questioned whether giving the lobbyists access to parliamentarians was in step with community values and expectations.
Liberal senator accuses govt of ‘Pocock-barrelling’
Liberal senator Hollie Hughes has accused the government of “Pocock-barrelling” after an ACT sustainable household scheme received a $7.5 million boost in the federal budget.
“Is this $7.5 million effectively Pocock-barrelling, that we’re effectively offering Senator [David] Pocock, perhaps in exchange for his vote on Safeguard Mechanism,” Senator Hughes asked during the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee estimates.
Jim Chalmers flags public service consultant crackdown in wake of PwC scandal
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has flagged a federal government crackdown on external consultants who abuse their access to privileged information.
As the fallout from the PricewaterhouseCoopers scandal continues, Dr Chalmers told ABC radio he was working on changes around the way the government consults with the private sector to ensure there is not a repeat of the PwC breach.
The government’s Senate leader, Penny Wong, told a Senate estimates hearing the government was considering what action to take against PwC but the treasurer was “not in a position to articulate what that is”.
I’m a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at [email protected] or confidential tips to [email protected].
I’m a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at [email protected] or confidential tips to [email protected].