THE Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold a public hearing as part of its Inquiry into the role of Australia’s international development program in preventing conflict.

The subcommittee will continue its examination of how Australia’s development cooperation contributes to conflict prevention and stability, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings across the Indo-Pacific region.

Subcommittee Chair, Tim Watts MP, said the subcommittee hoped to gain valuable perspectives from two organisations working at the intersection of humanitarian response, delivery of development assistance, and conflict prevention – the World Food Programme and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

"Witnesses from these organisations can offer important insights into how food security, mediation, and dialogue can help address the drivers of conflict and build more stable and resilient communities across our region," Mr Watts said.

The subcommittee expects to hold further public hearings in June.

Further information, including the full terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Thursday 14 May 2026
Time: 8am - 9am (AEST)
Venue: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander people have been invited to share their experiences of engaging with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as part of a national review underway.

Tax Ombudsman, Ruth Owen, the independent watchdog of the ATO and tax system, has released her terms of reference outlining the scope and significance of this review – the first of its kind.

The Tax Ombudsman met with Aboriginal community organisations and peak bodies to inform the review terms of reference and heard first-hand the challenges First Nations people are encountering when trying to engage with the tax system.

“We heard that a lack of targeted and appropriately designed education and engagement has meant the tax system can often feel alien, confusing and at times frightening for First Nations people,” Ms Owen said.

Ms Owen said it was vital that all taxpayers understood how the tax system operates, what is required of them and how they can benefit from it.

“I am keen to hear directly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander taxpayers around the country to help inform my review. People can contribute by attending a community yarning session in the coming months, completing an online survey or making a submission.”

As one of the largest Commonwealth government departments, Ms Owen also said the ATO was expected to adapt its operations to meet the needs of all Australians, including First Nations people. This is set out in the Closing the Gap National Agreement Priority Reform 3 – transforming government organisations.

“We want to know what’s working and what’s not, and more importantly, we want to explore the practical improvements we can recommend to the ATO to better support First Nations taxpayers, businesses and the people who represent them,”
Ms Owen said.

To support the consultation process, the Tax Ombudsman has engaged Jindawayni, a 100% Aboriginal-owned business managed by Kokatha woman Amy Rust.

“The reality is the tax system wasn’t designed with our people’s cultures or lived realities in mind. On top of that, there are very real practical barriers, particularly in remote communities,” Ms Rust said.

“There are benefits in tools like MyGov, but that assumes individual access. If you’re sharing a phone with family, the system just doesn’t fit how people actually live.”

Community yarning sessions will be held across metropolitan, regional and remote locations over the next three months.

“We’ve made a real effort to get out to places that don’t always get visited. From Ceduna on Wirangu Country to Geraldton on Yamatji Country to Lismore on Bundjalung Country, I reckon we’ve got a pretty good spread. And if there’s not one in your town, or you don’t have time, we’d still love to hear from people through the online survey,” Ms Rust said.

“All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander taxpayers and businesses are welcome to have their say.”

Aboriginal businessman and founder and director of We Create Print Deliver, Pat Caruso, whose organisation includes a business incubator supporting start-ups, said he hoped the review also considered how the tax system supports emerging Aboriginal businesses.

“In many ways, we’re looking at the first generation of Aboriginal businesses," Mr Caruso said.

"The potential is enormous, but for many, this is new territory as they find their footing. I’d welcome stronger conversations around how we can create genuine economic opportunities within our communities,” Mr Caruso said.

To access the Review terms of reference, a full list of yarning sessions and the survey, visit: Review: ATO engagement with First Nations taxpayers - Tax Ombudsman

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TOMORROW, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works (the committee) will conduct a site inspection at National Research Cyclotron Facility (NRCF) at Camperdown, Sydney, and shortly after question officials from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation about the proposed works at the site.

The proposed works will deliver the decommissioning and demolition of the NRCF after 30 years of operation on land leased from the Sydney Local Health District near the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Established in 1991, the NRCF housed a cyclotron which produced radioisotopes which were principally used for medical imaging research purposes. The facility was permanently closed down in 2021. The decommissioning aligns with ANSTO’s strategic shift towards researching new radiopharmaceuticals and producing nuclear medicines at their site in Lucas Heights.

The proposed works have a total estimated cost of $17 million (excluding GST).

Interested members of the public can listen in to the public hearing via the APH website or attend the hearing in person at the location listed below.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Time: 1:30pm–2:10pm
Location: Brown Street Community Hall, 8-10 Brown Street, Newtown NSW 2042

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Editor's note: the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is not involved in the tendering process, awarding of contracts or details of the proposed works. Enquiries on these matters should be directed to the relevant Commonwealth entities.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport will hold hearings with more than 20 councils in Wodonga, Wagga Wagga and Taree this week as part of its inquiry into local government funding.

The committee said it wanted to better understand the funding challenges faced by local government across regional and rural Australia and its workers who provide infrastructure and deliver services to vast areas of Victoria and NSW.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips MP, said, “The committee is looking forward to learning more about the fiscal sustainability of local government in both northern Victoria and regional NSW and potential solutions to current challenges for fast growing regional cities and geographically larger shires with fewer rate payers.”

Hearings will begin in Wodonga on Wednesday May 6, where the committee will hear from shire councils and regional city councils such as Wodonga and Wangaratta. The committee will explore a range of issues including grant distribution processes, bushfire and flood recovery, workforce issues, and labour market conditions in regional Victoria and across the border in the Riverina.

The committee will then travel to Wagga Wagga for hearings on Thursday May 7 to hear from city councils and shire councils in southern NSW and representatives of Regional Capitals Australia, NSW Country Mayors and NSW Farmers.

The committee travels north to Taree on Friday May 8 to hear from a local government representative body from the Hunter and a range of shire and city councils along the mid-north coast and inland up to the Tweed River. Discussions will cover financial sustainability, insurance and risk, workforce challenges, and broader pressures facing local government across New South Wales, especially for those councils contending with recovery from natural disasters.

Programs for each public hearing are available on the inquiry webpage.

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

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Time: 9am – 3.30pm
Location: The Huon Room, Huon Hill Hotel, 48 Reid Street, Wodonga, Victoria

Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Time: 9am – 2.50pm
Location: Premier room, Mercure Wagga Wagga, 1 Morgan Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW

Date: Friday, 8 May 2026
Time: 9.15am – 4pm
Location: Melaleuca room, Club Taree, 121 Wingham Road, Taree, NSW

Public hearings are broadcast live on the Australian Parliament House Streaming Portal.

Details for upcoming public hearings and more information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, submissions and transcripts of previous hearings, is available on the inquiry webpage.

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