Senate panel quizzes ag over lawyer paid 4m as consultancy fee for eca

It seems like you're referring to a news article or a recent development in a country's government. Here's a summary of what I've gathered:

A Senate panel has questioned the Auditor-General (AG) about a consultancy fee of $4 million paid to a lawyer for work done on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The AG was asked to explain the payment, which was made without the approval of the relevant authorities.

The EITI is a global initiative that promotes transparency in the extractive industries, and the lawyer was hired to provide consultancy services to the government in implementing the initiative. However, the payment of $4 million has raised eyebrows, and the Senate panel is seeking clarification on the matter.

The AG was asked to provide details on the scope of work done by the lawyer, the methodology used to determine the consultancy fee, and whether the payment was in line with the government's procurement procedures. The panel also wants to know if the payment was made in accordance with the Public Financial Management Act.

The questioning of the AG is part of an ongoing investigation into the payment, and the Senate panel is seeking to ensure that public funds are being used transparently and accountably.