THE Electoral Matters Committee will hold public hearings in Darwin and Perth as part of its inquiry into the 2025 Federal Election.

Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, ‘The committee is looking forward to hearing directly from people in the Northern Territory and Western Australia about their experiences of the 2025 Federal Election. Evidence from communities across Australia is essential to understanding what worked well and where our electoral system can be improved."

The committee will hold hearings in Darwin on Wednesday, September 23, and Perth on Thursday, September 24. Members of the public will have an opportunity to get on the record by making short verbal statements of up to five minutes during community sessions.

"We want to hear from people about their election experience, whether or not they have already made a written submission. Community statements help the Committee understand how elections affect people in different parts of the country and ensure those perspectives inform our recommendations," Mr Laxale said.

To register your interest in making a statement, contact the Committee Secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and include:

• your name and contact details
• which hearing you would like to attend
• the topics you would like to discuss
• how you participated in the 2025 Federal Election, such as as a voter, candidate, volunteer or campaign worker.

The committee would like to hear from as many people as possible, however, depending on demand and the final hearing programs, not everyone who registers may be able to make a statement.

Further information on the 2025 election inquiry can be found at the inquiry webpage. Committee details can be found at the Committee’s webpage.

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Time: 9am to 2pm ACST
Location: Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront, Darwin NT

Date: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Time: 9am to 3pm AWST
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Northbridge, Perth WA

Programs for the hearings will be advertised on the Committee’s public hearings webpage as they are finalised. The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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ON MONDAY, September 14, the winners of the My First Speech competition for 2026 will travel to Canberra to deliver their speeches to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP, and Members of Parliament.

The My First Speech competition invites students to imagine themselves as a newly elected Member of the House of Representatives and write a 500-word speech on a topic they are passionate about.

This year, more than 500 entries from students across Australia were submitted. Entries were shortlisted by the Department of the House of Representatives and the three winners – one each from Years 10, 11 and 12 – were selected by a judging panel, convened by the Speaker, consisting of the Member for Barton, Ash Ambihaipahar MP and the Member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie MP.

The Speaker said, "The My First Speech Competition is a fantastic way for our future leaders to engage with democracy and speak about the issues that matter most to them.

"It is so important that we continue to create opportunities for young Australians to connect with their Parliament," he said. "Hearing their voices, ideas and perspectives is a sign of a vibrant and healthy democracy, and something I am deeply passionate about."

My First Speech Competition 2026 – Winners’ Presentation Event & Speeches

Monday 14 September 2026, 11am – 11.45am
Presiding Officers Exhibition Area, Level 1, public area (near the post office)
Parliament House, Canberra

To find out more, please visit My First Speech competition. 

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport will hear from council representative bodies in Victoria and Northern Australia as part of its inquiry into local government funding.

The committee is interested in learning more about the financial sustainability of local government from the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA), the Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM), the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance (TCICA) and the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT).

This includes how local governments are responding to challenges in their regions or cities such as workforce shortages, rising infrastructure costs, climate change, and managing environmental, heritage, energy and water issues.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, "The committee wants to hear more about the differing challenges facing councils in metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and remote Northern Australia, particularly those serving Indigenous communities, and the support available to them.”

Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing

Date: Friday, 11 September 2026
Time: 9am – 12pm
Location: Committee Room 1R5, Parliament House, Canberra

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport will hear from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and constitutional law expert, Professor Anne Twomey, as part of its inquiry into local government funding.

The committee said it was keen to learn more about how the department manages its responsibilities in relation to the financial sustainability of local government. This includes how local governments are responding to climate change, and managing environmental, heritage, energy and water issues.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, “Following our recent hearings in South Australia and listening to coastal councils struggling with the cost of maintaining and rebuilding local jetties, the Committee wants to hear more about the impact of climate change on local governments and the support available to them.”

The Department manages a range of programs accessed by councils such as the Local Environmental Projects Program and the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.  The committee will explore the barriers to accessing funding and how the Commonwealth can improve the effectiveness and coordination of funding provided to local governments.

The committee will also hear from Prof. Twomey, who is an Australian academic and lawyer specialising in Australian constitutional law. The committee will explore how the lack of constitutional recognition affects the financial sustainability of local governments.

Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing

Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra