![In this week's recap of every public servant's favourite pastime, we revisit our favourite Senate estimates moments. In this week's recap of every public servant's favourite pastime, we revisit our favourite Senate estimates moments.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/106459643/c1d11454-5052-4522-a49f-cf2063c341f2.jpg/r0_0_4000_2249_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Senate estimates marathon of May 2023 has reached its end.
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For nine long 14-hour days, senators, bureaucrats and us weary journalists participated in the democratic bloodbath that tries to hold truth to power.
Except, in reality, most of the hairier questions are taken on notice to turn down the heat of saying something wrong while you're on public broadcast.
You can read our harder news coverage in the news pages but here at Public Eye, we like to celebrate the colourful moments as well as the ones that make their way to Utopia writing room brainstorms.
So here are our favourite interactions and like Reserve Bank of Australia governor Phil Lowe cheerily suggested, "hope to see you in October?"
'You treated them like mushrooms'
Greens senator David Shoebridge had a good run this estimates. Behind most of the big stories - the PwC scandal, CSIRO's $200k overpayment and Defence's contract handling - was the Greens senator's presence.
But it was one unusual metaphor that captured Public Eye's attention last week.
Defence Department secretary Greg Moriarty was answering questions about whether his former defence ministers, Marise Payne and Christopher Pyne, were briefed on why key documents requested by the audit office were unable to be found.
"You treated them like mushrooms," Senator Shoebridge interrupted, prompting Labor chair Raff Ciccone to immediately request he withdraw the comment.
After a dramatic pause, and Mr Moriarty's disappointed head shake, Senator Shoebridge landed the final blow.
"You didn't show them much light," he said.
'Have you ever visited Calvary hospital, here in the ACT?'
Liberal senator David Fawcett couldn't resist giving his two cents on the ACT government's Calvary hospital saga.
Senator Fawcett interrupted a line of questioning directed at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Jan Adams, to make the remarks. Ms Adams was being pressed on another local Canberra issue: the Russian federation's new embassy site.
The National Capital Authority has consented to a court order enabling Russia to go ahead and build its new embassy.
Responding to one of his questions the secretary said: "Australia is a rule-of-law country with respect for property rights", which prompted a chuckle from Senator Fawcett.
"Just to your comment, secretary, have you ever visited Calvary hospital here in the ACT?" he asked.
"I have actually visited that hospital," the secretary said through an (exasperated) grin, seeing where Senator Fawcett was going.
"Well, I think then your comment about respect of the rule of law and property rights, in the ACT is not a particularly good one given current events," he responded.
Ms Adams knew not to touch that, she had no comment.
READ MORE FROM SENATE ESTIMATES:
- CSIRO board member David Knox overpaid by $200k
- Services Australia official grilled on spyware by Greens senator Janet Rice
- PM&C, Defence secretaries arranged for Kathryn Campbell's senior AUKUS role
- Dumping PwC contracts could be costly, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher warns
- Department secretary Natalie James wears tie to estimates after Sarah Henderson questions Jim Betts on dress code
In search of the secretary's most perfect headshot
![We feel you, Mr Griggs. We also struggle with finding the perfect headshot. We feel you, Mr Griggs. We also struggle with finding the perfect headshot.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/106459643/60792193-9e74-4e42-b03f-1de2e5e8c111.png/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Stepping outside of estimates for a brief moment, Department of Social Services secretary Ray Griggs debuted six different headshots in his all staff newsletters, between August 2022 and March 2023.
The emails were released to us under Freedom of Information request.
(No, we didn't FOI his headshots: Mr Griggs communicates with staff about the robodebt royal commission in the emails.)
Back on the headshots, we do get it. The pain of the headshot is a unique one. Excitement quickly fades away as insecurities set in.
We wish the DSS secretary well in his search for the perfect headshot.
Erm, actually they weren't consulted
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John appeared surprised to learn the National Disability Insurance Agency wasn't consulted on the government's plan to cap the National Disability Insurance Scheme's cost growth at 8 per cent from July 2026.
The Greens senator said he had heard differently from Treasury officials, when NDIA chief executive officer Rebecca Falkingham told him the news on Wednesday.
"In the weeks leading up to the national cabinet meeting on the 28th of April, the agency ran a range of projected long-term growth scenarios for our minister [Bill Shorten]. We were, however, not consulted on the 8 per cent growth target in advance of what was being proposed for discussion at national cabinet," Ms Falkingham said.
"So thank you for clarifying that ... just realised that the rest of my line of questioning is now redundant for that section, because it assumed that you were consulted," the senator responded.
Estimates or Hollowmen?
We usually hear a lot about the public service show Utopia during estimates - so much so, we've started tallying references of it. But it was its predecessor, also a Rob Sitch classic, The Hollowmen that also got a shout out last week.
"Anyway, I feel like I'm in a bit of a Hollowmen episode here, so," Labor senator Katy Gallagher said while being grilled at estimates.
![Are we in The Hollowmen or Utopia? Senator Katy Gallagher wonders. Are we in The Hollowmen or Utopia? Senator Katy Gallagher wonders.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/106459643/b4837221-6637-487b-b07e-e724a527ac3e.jpg/r0_196_4000_2454_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Well, you are in a bit of a Hollowmen episode, you put yourself in a Hollowmen episode because, clearly, clearly, you have messed this up from the get-go," Liberal senator Anne Ruston responded.
"No, you have put us in the Hollowmen episode, but even having this discussion puts us squarely in the Hollowmen episode," Senator Gallagher said.
"Hollowmen or Utopia," Senator Ruston presumably quipped. I say presumably because the voice comes from offscreen.
Utopia alert!
Utopia reference alert! Greens senator David Shoebridge joined the ranks of politicians who have referenced the hit ABC show in their commentary on the public sector.
Senator Shoebridge, in a tweet about the Reserve Bank of Australia underpaying staff and using the auditing and risk management services of embattled consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, wrote: "If this was an episode of Utopia it would be criticised for being unrealistic."
Public Eye has been dutifully tallying up these references, and Senator Shoebridge has joined the likes of Katy Gallagher, David Littleproud, David Pocock and Julian Hill with recent references.
On another note, series five of the show premiere this Wednesday, and there will apparently be a TikTok episode.
"There is a TikTok episode but I think shortly after we filmed it TikTok might have actually been banned," Dave Lawson, who plays Scott Byrnes on the show, told The Canberra Times.
Look out for our full interview with him, previewing the APS' favourite show.
All quiet on the Canberra front
There hasn't been a peep from senior military figures following the landmark ruling against Ben Roberts-Smith's defamation case last Thursday.
The Canberra Times reached out to a number of former defence officials to discuss what the decision could mean for the community.
Our requests were met with silence or a polite "no".
Over to you
- What was your favourite Senate estimates moment?
- Should we lean into calling it "esties", or ban it forever?
- ps@canberratimes.com.au