The staffing of Julie Bishop’s Perth office for her role as chancellor of Australian National University and ANU contracts awarded to a consulting firm run by her long-time friend and employee have come under scrutiny during a Senate estimates hearing.

ANU vice chancellor Professor Genevieve Bell was grilled by the education committee chairman, Labor senator Tony Sheldon, over whether Bishop had declared any conflict of interest in awarding contracts to Murray Hansen’s firm Vinder Consulting and whether she had broken any university procurement rules.