On 6 December 2023 the Senate referred the following inquiry to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2024.

Supporting the development of sovereign capability in the Australian tech sector, with particular reference to:

(a) the adequacy of current procurement policy settings across the Australian Government for supporting Australian tech companies, including but not limited to policies in the Digital Sourcing Framework;

(b) the challenges faced by smaller Australian tech companies in accessing public sector procurement opportunities, including but not limited to through procurement panels;

(c) opportunities for reform of government procurement policy settings to encourage the emergence and growth of more Australian tech companies;

(d) the use of non-sovereign-Australian tech across the Australian Public Service and the consequences of that usage on the strength of Australia’s tech sector;

(e) the effectiveness of the Buy Australia Plan in supporting Australian tech companies;

(f) the level of engagement and consultation between the Australian Government and Australian tech companies, including, but not limited to, through the Future Made in Australia Office;

(g) the existence and effectiveness of processes for tracking the performance of suppliers, measuring and reporting on the full and timely delivery of outcomes, and sharing information regarding supplier performance across different government departments and agencies; and

(h) any other related matters.