The top agenda item for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee hearing was to discuss how a budget would be developed and implemented under an improved system of intelligence coordination between civilian and military sectors.
But he has said that he is determined to present plans to bring the long-term budget outlook into balance, and has appointed Nancy Killefer to the new post of governmental performance officer, charged with improving efficiency in government.
The federal government has incurred budget deficits more than 80% of the time since 1930, a period when the number of governmental functions increased dramatically.