Acting Department of Parliamentary Services secretary Jaala Hinchcliffe gives an opening statement to Senate estimates in November 2024, addressing Rob Stefanic's leave, corruption watchdog raids and an internal review into a controversial staffing transfer.
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00:00I welcome Ms Zsala Hindcliffe, Acting Secretary and other officers of the Department of Parliamentary
00:07Services.
00:08Ms Hindcliffe, do you wish to make an opening statement?
00:11I do, thank you Chair.
00:14Chair and members of the Committee, thank you firstly for this opportunity to appear
00:18before the Committee and provide an opening statement relating to ongoing matters at the
00:24Department of Parliamentary Services.
00:26I will provide a copy of this statement for tabling and for the reference of the Committee.
00:33As the Committee would be aware, Mr Stefanik, Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary
00:38Services is on leave.
00:40The Department does not comment on the basis of individual leave arrangements.
00:45As Mr Stefanik is on leave, this is my first appearance before the Committee as Acting
00:49Secretary, having been appointed by the presiding officers.
00:53Ms Nicola Hinder, PSM, who is also at the table with me today, started with DPS on 8
00:58October this year.
01:00Ms Hinder is Acting Deputy Secretary while I am Acting Secretary.
01:05My DPS colleagues and I welcome the opportunity to answer your questions today.
01:10The work of the Department remains an absolute priority and I am pleased with the dedication
01:15and efforts of DPS staff in progressing a number of important outcomes and facilitating
01:20key events since our last appearance at this Committee.
01:24There are two matters which I wish to address with the Committee prior to answering questions.
01:29On the first of these matters, I confirm that I have asked the National Anti-Corruption
01:33Commission whether the information I am providing in this opening statement will impact or impede
01:38their investigations.
01:40The NAC has advised me that it will not.
01:43As reported in the media last month, the National Anti-Corruption Commission attended Parliament
01:48House on 3 October this year in relation to an ongoing investigation.
01:53I can confirm that the NAC executed warrants from the Department of Parliamentary Services.
01:58Any questions about this activity and any investigation that the NAC might be undertaking
02:03should be referred to the NAC, as I am conscious that discussing matters may inadvertently
02:08identify persons of interest, prematurely damage reputations and or compromise an individual's
02:15right to impartial adjudication.
02:18Should further matters be raised about the NAC activity at this hearing, I will refer
02:22to what I have just included in my statement.
02:25Secondly, in the May 2024 Estimates hearings, questions were asked about the secondment
02:32and incentive to retire payment made to a previous Department of Parliamentary Services
02:36Deputy Secretary.
02:38After the May 2024 hearing, I wrote two letters to the Committee Chair, clarifying my testimony.
02:42Both these letters are now part of the public record.
02:46I would like to advise that after concerns were raised with me by a DPS employee about
02:50whether the Department had followed correct processes in making the incentive to retire
02:55payment, I engaged Dr Fiona Ruffley SC to conduct an independent fact-finding investigation
03:02into the Department's role in the incentive to retire payment.
03:06As this remains a matter undergoing independent investigation by Dr Ruffley SC, I am unable
03:14to provide further comment on this matter, but will update the Committee at an appropriate
03:18time.
03:19Finally, Senators, as we are a month away from the end of 2024, I would like to express
03:25my sincere appreciation to all DPS staff for their dedication, hard work and support throughout
03:31the year.
03:33We can all see their efforts every day when we walk around this magnificent building.
03:36I'd like to thank them for their care and diligence.
03:39My colleagues and I are now happy to answer any questions.