Estimates grilling ahead for treasury

Senior federal bureaucrats are likely to come under intense pressure this week to reveal advice given to the government before it announced its $10.4 billion economic stimulus package. The grilling will be part of the latest round of Senate estimates hearings which
give the opposition an opportunity to demand answers and pressure the government.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has been pressing the government to release official forecasts from treasury that provided the basis for the government's actions.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has refused to do so until the release of the mid-year budget review next month.

The last round of estimates investigations delivered minor troubles for the government, including the discovery that treasury never consulted the Department of Health when preparing modelling for the alcopop tax.

This week also marks the fourth last week of parliament for the year, a week likely
to be dominated by the on-going domestic implications of the credit crunch and
possible further moves from the banks on interest rates.
Reserve bank governor Glenn Stevens will deliver a speech on Tuesday which will be
closely watched in Canberra and on the markets.