At the Canberra hearings Labor Senator Carol Brown led questioning of Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) chairwoman Kay Hull and Managing Director John Harvey, about the annual Rural Women's Award dinner.

Senator Brown asked when the last awards dinner was held this year promoting Ms Hull to clarify the event hadn’t yet occurred but was scheduled to go ahead, September 13.

Senator Brown then led an extensive examination of the RIRDC’s new move to start charging people to attend the event, for the first time in its 22-year history, including $160 for alumni members, due to increasing numbers.

“There was a point where I thought: should R&D money and levy payers' money be utilised to give everybody a free night out, wining and dining in Canberra?” Ms Hull said.

“Our intention is very much focused towards growing the awards and we are very committed to the Rural Women's Award, so we would like to expose our finalists to as many outside interests as possible to give them the opportunity to expose their projects. “If we are going to pay for everybody, we are limited in numbers - so we have implemented this cost this year and I feel very excited for the awards.”

But as Senator Brown continued her line of questioning during the 35 minute session, Assistant Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Anne Ruston vented frustrations at the relevance of the examination, prompting a feisty exchange between the pair.

“With the greatest amount of respect, how much level of detail do you want to get into,” Senator Ruston said.

Senator Brown hit back, offering to swap places with the minister and exchange roles, to which Senator Ruston said, “I am not sure the government will be very happy to have you here”. Senator Brown said “I will ask the question - I think I have been asking them in quite a reasonable tone, so what is your problem?” Committee Chair and Queensland Nationals Senator Barry O’Sullivan then expedited the RIRDC session, given he was also forced to trim the day’s agenda and the number of farm levy-payer groups appearing, due to the loss of time caused by the excessive questioning of Department officials on biosecurity and other issues earlier in the day.

The committee’s original schedule set aside six and a half hours to examine farm levy-payer R&D and marketing bodies like the RIRDC, Dairy Australia, Horticulture Innovation Australia and Australian Wool Innovation Limited. But senior officials from Meat and Livestock Australia - for the third consecutive occasion - and other groups like LiveCorp were sent home without facing any questions.