Former media adviser Neil Doorley on how politicians, staff prepare for budget hearings

Senior politicians and bureaucrats may only spend a few hours under the spotlight at the annual budget estimates hearings, the prep time leading up to the event is lengthy and intense, writes Neil Doorley.

Neil Doorley is a former journalist and Queensland Government media adviser. File picture: David Clark

The fear of being caught out by the opposition means the government of the day will leave nothing to chance, ahead of their “performances” at the annual budget estimates hearings.

While they might only be required to appear for a few hours, cabinet ministers, their staff, and senior bureaucrats would have been practising for weeks to ensure there are no trip-ups – which can be seized on by the media – as they’re called on to explain, justify and account for how they spend our money.

I know how much time and effort goes into “prepping” ministers ahead of the hearings, having worked for four Palaszczuk government ministers between 2015 and 2018.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk faces questioning at an estimates hearing in 2017. File picture

Four times, I participated in “mock” hearings where the main aim was really finetuning the “politics” of trying to protect ministers. In reality, you could probably call it war-gaming.

More than a month out, our office would work with the department to come up with as much background as possible, on as many issues as possible, which we believed non-Labor MPs might use to undermine our minister at estimates.

Ministers would practise accessing that material – included in a very thick white folder, which you might notice sitting on the table beside them, their staff and public servants during the hearings – to streamline the process.

I generally was asked to act as an opposition MP and enthusiastically interrupted the minister to achieve some “gotcha” moments, which the gallery journalists could potentially exploit.

Over the next two weeks, we’ll see if ministers given the opportunity to perform, can demonstrate their capacity to think on their feet, and reveal their mastery of their portfolios.

And if opposition MPs can cut through the spin and roadblocks to make it more about accountability than politics, and show Queenslanders that they are worthy of their jobs.

NEIL DOORLEY IS A FORMER SENIOR POLITICAL MEDIA ADVISER