Final Round of Senate Estimates for 2025 Commences
The last Senate estimates hearings for the year kicked off on December 1, 2025, marking a final week of intense scrutiny for Australian government department heads. This crucial parliamentary process, which began at 9:13 AM with updates following, sees senior officials answering to senators before the year concludes.
Key Departments and Officials Under the Microscope
The finance and public administration committee led the proceedings, starting with the Department of the Senate. The schedule for Monday morning also included the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS), where Secretary Jaala Hinchcliffe was anticipated to face rigorous questioning.
Ms. Hinchcliffe was expected to be queried about her 2023 decision to order the transfer of a large cache of internal emails. This action took place while she was investigating the former secretary, Rob Stefanic, during her tenure as his deputy.
Other major departments appearing before senators on Monday included the Attorney-General's Department, the Department of Climate Change, and the Department of Infrastructure.
Backlog of Unanswered Questions Creates Pressure
Despite this being the final scheduled week for departmental questioning, a significant backlog of work remains from the previous estimates session held in early October. A report from The Canberra Times' public service column, Public Eye, revealed a staggering figure: more than 8000 questions on notice have yet to receive answers from various government agencies.
This substantial number of unresolved inquiries adds considerable pressure to the final hearings, as senators seek accountability and clarity on a wide range of government operations before the parliamentary year ends.
