Committee Chair, Tim Watts MP, said. "For our first public hearing for the inquiry, the Committee is looking forward to speaking with the Department of Education to identify practical steps to reverse declining Asia capability in schools and universities. To ensure Australia’s future prosperity and security in our region, it is vital that we continue to strengthen our cultural understanding, language skills, and regional expertise—all of which begin with Australia’s education system."
Mr Watts said the committee has a particular focus on identifying the structural enablers and barriers to building Asia capability in schools and universities and the strategies to increase both demand for and access to Asian languages and cultural studies.
"By making Asia capability a national priority, we can strengthen language learning, cultural understanding, and regional expertise to ensure Australians are prepared to succeed in an increasingly dynamic and complex region," Mr Watts said.
Submissions to the inquiry remain open until November 7 and the Committee will schedule further public hearings soon.
Public hearing
Date: Wednesday, 29 October 2025 Time: 10.45am – 11.45am Location: Parliament House
A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live audio stream of the hearings will also be available on the APH website.
AT 11.15am TODAY, the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will hold a public hearing into three separate proposed agreements relating to air services between Australia and Colombia, Peru and Saudi Arabia.
The proposed agreements aim to facilitate and provide support to Australian airlines entering any point in Australia and any point in Colombia, Peru, and Saudi Arabia respectively.
At the hearing the committee will examine each of the agreements to ensure they align with Australia’s national interests, focusing on key issues such as safety, security, customs and quarantine, and competition law.
The committee will also consider how these agreements could provide opportunities in the trade and tourism sectors between Australia and Colombia, Peru, and Saudi Arabia.
Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP, said, "These agreements have significant potential benefits for Australian travellers and Australian businesses through the opening of increased commercial opportunities, particularly in the tourism and export industries."
The committee will hear evidence from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the public hearing.
Public hearing details
Date: Monday, 27 October 2025 Time: 11:15 am to 1pm AEDT Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra
The Subcommittee will hear evidence from the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) and the Lowy Institute regarding several of the inquiry’s key focus areas:
Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities;
AUKUS;
Progress on the transformation to an integrated focused force;
Australian international defence cooperation and competition.
Chair of the Defence Subcommittee, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, "Given the ongoing relevance and clear public interest in the issues, the Defence Subcommittee has re-adopted the inquiry as an important transparency mechanism for the Parliament to review Defence progress in a number of critical areas.
"The Subcommittee is now looking to deepen inquiry evidence by talking to relevant industry and strategic experts to support Subcommittee inquiry outcomes."
THE Department of the House of Representatives has announced the winners of the inaugural Yarning Competition.
The Yarning Competition aims to provide a platform for young First Nations Australians to connect with the work of the Australian Parliament by inviting them to share their unique stories and experiences through creative mediums such as written words, videos, photos, audio recordings and art.
Students were able to choose from one of four themes on which to base their work: country and connection; identity and culture; family and community; reconciliation.
The competition was developed by Department of the House of Representatives with support from the Parliamentary Services Indigenous Employee Network and the APS Indigenous Senior Executive Service Network.
The competition attracted entries from across Australia. The four winners of the 2025 competition are:
Lincoln Frid
Age group: Year 7/8 Title: Family Foundations Theme: Family and Community Medium: Art "Family Foundations portrays a story that represents my grandmother (Big Nan). My grandmother Theresa was a descendant of the Mandandanji People they’re the traditional owners of Roma and surrounding. I am her grandson my name is Lincoln, I’m 13 years old, the artwork I painted was inspired by a snapshot of me and my grandmother out on country learning about our culture heritage."
Brooke Dobson Age group: Year 7/8
Title: The Magpie and The Crow Theme: Country and Connection Medium: Art "The story of the Magpie and the Crow is a story of two greedy brothers. The way I was told the story was that the two brothers amongst a tribe refused to help out for an upcoming ceremony. Whilst everyone was hunting or preparing things for this ceremony, the two brothers ran off to eat berries."
Jedah-Rose Morea Age group: Year 9/10
Title: My Saltwater Country Theme: Identity and Culture Medium: Text "This is my version on what being Indigenous means to me. ‘My Saltwater Country’ talks about how being a First Nations persons runs deep, that it runs deeper than my blood, but being Indigenous means that I have a connection and caring for my Country."
Cleo Doyle
Age group: Year 11/12 Title: Ochre – Contemporary Aboriginal Dance Theme: Country and Connection Medium: Video "My name is Cleo Doyle, and I am a proud Kamilaroi performer and choreographer with a deep passion for Aboriginal contemporary dance, based on Awabakal Country (Lake Macquarie/ Newcastle). My choreographic work ‘Ochre’ is a deeply personal and powerful reflection of my journey, reconnecting to culture and identity as a proud Aboriginal woman."
Later this month, the winners will attend a presentation ceremony at Parliament House hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP.
Their works will be on public display at Parliament House from Thursday October 30 to Sunday November 9, 2025. Full details of the competition are available at yarning.houseofrepresentatives.gov.au.
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