The head of the parliamentary service failed to document in writing a potential conflict of interest

In the May assessments, Stefanik said he had no relationship with Saunders when he became her boss. Saunders was Stefanik’s deputy before moving to Service Australia. After six months with Services Australia, Saunders reportedly quit after being offered a $315,000 incentive payment to leave public service.

Hinchcliffe said Monday during a Senate hearing that following an internal complaint, he had engaged Fiona Ruffley, SC, to conduct an independent fact-finding investigation into her department’s role in retirement incentive payments.

And under questioning from Hume, Hinchcliffe said she understood Stefanik first made an oral statement about a potential conflict of interest to the Australian Public Service Commissioner in August 2022.

It was not until June 2023 that Stefanic made a similar statement to the Presidents of Parliament, Speaker Milton Dick and President Sue Lines, despite being required to do so in writing in February of that year.

“I understand that the statement was related to (a) close personal relationship with the former deputy secretary of state,” Hinchcliffe said, later adding that “there was no recording of the conversation.”

Hume replied: “So we have no record of statements… we have only memories. We have conflicting stories about who knew what and when. We have conflicting and, at best, sketchy information about when the department was informed of the secondment for the post of Deputy Secretary. Do you think then that this is acceptable… record keeping is so inadequate?”

Hinchcliffe said there will be “special emphasis on us at DPS to ensure we have our policies and recordkeeping systems in place correctly.”

Chinese electric car

Home Secretary Tony Burke has defended his decision to drive a Chinese-made electric car as he came under criticism from the opposition for jeopardizing national security secrets.

Labor cabinet minister Murray Watt confirmed at a Senate hearing on Monday that Burke drove a Chinese-made electric car.

“Immediately upon his appointment, Secretary Burke informed his department and security authorities that he was in possession of a Chinese-made vehicle,” Watt said, reading from a statement provided by Burke’s office.

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“He was advised about appropriate precautions and he took those precautions.”

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said he was concerned about Burke driving such a car because of the “large number of national security and cybersecurity risks” associated with such vehicles.

These include the ability to track the vehicle and eavesdrop on conversations occurring inside the vehicle, he said, citing evidence provided by internal affairs officials.

“Wouldn’t it be a concern if the minister was driving around on a listening device?” – said Paterson.

In September, the Biden administration cited national security concerns when announcing its intention to ban Chinese-developed software on internet-connected cars in the United States.

Climate wars

Australia’s climate wars have also raged, with jargon-filled debates over renewables and nuclear power culminating in a former Liberal MP suggesting his own side of politics is chasing headlines with his pronouncements on energy prices.

Former NSW Liberal treasurer Matt Kean has appeared at Senate meetings as chairman of the Climate Change Authority, which provides policy advice to the government.

Nationals senator Ross Cadell accused Keane of failing to properly check findings by national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator, which found renewable energy was significantly cheaper than nuclear power.

“That’s where we’re going, Mr. Keene, we come here and we can’t question that advice,” Cadell said.

Kean was appointed to the post by Energy Minister Chris Bowen in June after he stepped down from political office. His sharp responses to questioning from sometimes hostile opposition senators stood in contrast to the agency’s typically reserved appearance.

“I know you’re trying to take over Skye now,” Keen replied to Cadell during a testy exchange.

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Cadell argued that nuclear power was needed as part of a “balanced” energy mix, while Keane criticized the opposition for failing to support renewables as the cheapest form of electricity generation.

“If you want to talk about what will increase the cost of electricity, it is nuclear power. This will increase the cost of electricity for millions of Australians across the country,” Keane said.