Independent Senator David Pocock has publicly questioned the independence of a bipartisan parliamentary committee after it was revealed that a senior adviser to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese edited a letter intended for the Prime Minister. The letter, which concerned AI policy, was being prepared by a committee chaired by Labor MP Jo Briskey and included Liberal Senator input.

Documents reviewed by Guardian Australia indicate that a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s office reviewed the draft and made several edits, including marking specific sections as "fine." These revisions reportedly continued until 8:55 p.m. on Monday, just 35 minutes before the committee finalized and sent the document to the Prime Minister. Senator Pocock, a member of the committee, described the level of involvement from the Prime Minister’s office as concerning, suggesting it compromises the perceived independence of the committee's work.

While the committee is tasked with providing objective advice on artificial intelligence, the involvement of the Prime Minister's staff in drafting the communication intended for the Prime Minister raises questions about the separation between the executive branch and parliamentary oversight bodies. The Prime Minister's office has not yet provided a detailed public response regarding the extent of their influence over the committee's correspondence. The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding how bipartisan committees maintain their autonomy when dealing with sensitive policy areas like AI regulation.