Senate Estimates and QoNs

Question

1. Has the Department engaged any external companies or individuals to provide training or advice to officials on the preparation for Senate Estimates? 2. Has the Department been provided with direction or instruction from the Minister's office on how to answer questions at Senate Estimates? 3. Does the Department adjust the quality of their responses to Questions on Notice based on the number of Questions on Notice received? 4. Please provide a copy of the index of Senate Estimates briefs that were prepared for the Department for the Senate Estimates hearings held 25 May to 5 June 2026. 5. Please provide a list of the questions on notice from the previous Senate Estimates hearings outlining the following: a. the number of the Question on Notice; b. the Senator who asked the Question on Notice; c. the date the draft response to the Question on Notice was provided to the Minister's office; d. the date the Minister's office provided approval for the Question on Notice to be tabled; e. the date the Question on Notice was provided to the Committee; and f. whether the draft response was different to the tabled response. 6. As at 1 April 2026, how many staff in the department are responsible for the management of the responses to Senate Estimates Questions on Notice? Please provide a breakdown of the number by APS level. 7. On what date did the department provide briefing material to the relevant Ministerial office to prepare for Senate Estimates held between 25 May to 5 June 2026? 8. Did the department meet with any Minister or staff of any Minister in order to prepare for Senate Estimates held between 25 May to 5 June 2026?

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000406.pdf (opens in a new tab)