We learnt plenty about government spending at Senate estimates this October, and there was no shortage of drama.

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So who asked the hard questions? And who rose to the challenge?

The human wrecking balls

Liberal senator Jane Hume has found her feet as the deputy leader of the opposition, and it's no surprise after 10 years in Parliament. Senator Hume was across her brief, persistent in questioning, and picked her moment for political attacks. This involved pressing Treasury officials over growing inflation, and putting figures on public sector growth to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.

ACT senator David Pocock used his famous death-stare to good effect, going in to bat for Canberrans and plenty of others. Under questioning from Senator Pocock, National Emergency Management Agency bosses revealed their staff were still waiting for $1.8 million in backpay. He slammed health officials for the botched rollout of an aged care assessment tool. And that was just the beginning.

Greens senator David Shoebridge was everywhere, with questions on migration, the corruption watchdog, offshoring legal transcripts and a host of Defence matters. Senator Shoebridge was incisive, but his scattergun approach left something to be desired for others. In the words of Labor senator Murray Watt: "I always forget you are always the smartest person in the room."

Meghan Quinn has led the Department of Defence for all of six months, but it didn't show at estimates. Ms Quinn was across the detail, gave a polished performance, and had choice quips to defend her agency. When grilled over a $1.8 billion investment in tanks that have since sat on the shelf, Ms Quinn said "we do not buy equipment in the hope of using it."

Spare a thought for health secretary Blair Comley, who had to........

© Canberra Times