THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training will hold a public hearing in Canberra on Thursday, July 30, as part of its inquiry into the operation and adequacy of the National Employment Standards (NES).

The inquiry was referred to the Committee on November 27 last year by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth MP.

As it moves towards the end of its hearing program, the committee will explore several specialised issues that have emerged during the inquiry, including evidence requirements for personal leave, long service leave arrangements, and information about working conditions which employers must provide to their employees.

The committee will hear from legal experts, academics, medical practitioners, and stakeholder representatives.

Committee Chair, Dr Carina Garland MP, said the hearing would provide an opportunity to test evidence received throughout the inquiry and seek expert views on practical options for reform.

‘The inquiry has highlighted a number of complex issues that affect workers and employers in different ways, such as discrepancies in long service leave entitlements, the requirement for medical certificates when taking leave and employee rights to information about their employment," Dr Garland said. "This hearing will help the committee examine these issues in greater detail and identify practical solutions to ensure minimum employee entitlements remain clear, accessible and fit for purpose."

The committee will hear evidence from:

• Professor Emerita Sara Charlesworth;
• Law Council of Australia;
• Western Australian Government;
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners;
• Employment Rights Legal Service;
• SA Portable Long Service Leave;
• Professor Emeritus David Peetz;
• Minerals Council of Australia;
• Australian Dairy Products Federation.

Further information is available on the committee's website.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday 30 July 2026
Time: 9am to 3.30pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

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

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THE Housing Industry Association (HIA) said new independent Australian research has provided further evidence that relatively simple planning reforms can deliver meaningful increases in housing supply.

"New Australian research has reinforced concerns that minimum lot size requirements, many of which were introduced to address planning challenges from a very different era, continue to hold back housing supply today," HIA executive director for planning and development, Sam Heckel said.

The research paper, What Local Land Use Reform Does, and Doesn't Do, by the e61 Institute and the Centre for International Economics examined planning reforms in Adelaide's City of Campbelltown and found that reducing minimum lot size requirements increased housing approvals by 67 percent, with the additional supply largely delivered through townhouses and row housing.

"At a time when governments are struggling to meet ambitious housing targets, many planning schemes continue to impose minimum lot size requirements that limit housing supply and housing choice." Mr Heckel said.

"The impact is not just fewer homes. Restrictive lot size controls often prevent the delivery of smaller and more affordable housing options that can provide an entry point into established suburbs for first home buyers, downsizers and key workers."

The findings support HIA's recent Increasing Gentle Density: Unlocking Subdivision report, which identified minimum lot size controls as a major barrier to increasing housing supply and a conservative reduction of minimum lot sizes could reduce the cost of a new home by more than $200,000 through lower land costs alone.

"Large parts of Australian cities remain subject to lot size requirements that no longer reflect modern housing needs," Mr Heckel said.

"Importantly, this new independent research also demonstrates that when planning barriers are removed, industry responds. The issue is often not a lack of industry capacity, but the planning controls that limit what can be built.

“Australia is already projected to fall well short of the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million homes.

"If governments are serious about improving affordability and increasing supply, they must be prepared to reform outdated planning controls that prevent land from being used more efficiently.

"There is no shortage of reports, reviews and policy proposals recommending greater housing diversity and more efficient use of residential land.

"What is often missing is the urgency required to translate those recommendations into tangible housing outcomes for Australians struggling to find a home," Mr Heckel said.

www.hia.com.au

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THE Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the release of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) review of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and Treasury’s acceptance of all five recommendations -- aimed at strengthening the program’s governance, performance measurement and public reporting.

HIA managing director, Jocelyn Martin, said the audit provided a constructive roadmap for improving transparency and ensuring the fund remains focused on delivering more homes.

“The ANAO has identified several practical improvements that will strengthen the Housing Australia Future Fund, and we welcome Treasury’s decision to accept all five recommendations,” Ms Martin said.

“The first three recommendations focus on governance, risk management and administrative oversight. Strong governance is important for any major government program and these recommendations will help ensure the fund is managed effectively.

“Of particular importance are the recommendations relating to performance measurement and public reporting.

“Australians deserve to know not only how much funding is being committed, but whether the program is delivering homes efficiently, on time and in the locations where they are most needed,” Ms Martin said.

The audit found Treasury’s design of the HAFF had been largely effective, but highlighted shortcomings in performance monitoring, public reporting and transparency around delivery outcomes.

Ms Martin said stronger reporting would improve accountability and help identify barriers preventing projects from progressing.

“Clear and transparent reporting on dwelling delivery, project timelines and funding outcomes will provide greater confidence that the program is achieving its objectives,” she said.

“It will also help government, industry and community housing providers better understand where improvements are required and what is working well.

“At a time when housing supply remains one of the nation’s biggest challenges, it is essential that public investment programs are focused on outcomes and continuous improvement."

While welcoming the recommendations, Ms Martin said broader concerns raised by industry about the operation of the HAFF should not be overlooked.

“The audit should not mark the end of the conversation about how the HAFF can be improved,” Ms Martin said.

“HIA members continue to report that the program can be difficult to navigate, particularly for smaller builders that want to participate in delivering much-needed social and affordable housing.

“Reducing unnecessary complexity and making participation more accessible will help expand the pool of builders capable of delivering projects under the fund."

Ms Martin also said more attention was needed on ensuring the program delivering a broader mix of housing typologies in growth and regional areas.

“To maximise housing outcomes across Australia, HIA supports the program delivering a broader mix of housing typologies, including detached homes, townhouses and low-rise developments in growth and regional areas, rather than being predominantly concentrated in higher-density projects within major capital cities," she said. "This would better reflect housing demand, expand delivery opportunities, improve affordability outcomes and ensure more communities benefit from the program.

“Regional communities continue to face acute housing shortages, and we need to see stronger progress in delivering projects outside our major metropolitan centres,” Ms Martin said.

“The ultimate measure of success for the HAFF is not the number of funding announcements made, but the number of homes delivered for Australians in need.

“HIA looks forward to working with Treasury, Housing Australia and governments to ensure the fund continues to evolve and delivers the housing outcomes Australians expect,” Ms Martin said.

www.hia.com.au

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INTERESTED in learning more about the work of the House of Representatives? A half-day seminar on July 29 aims to deepen understanding of the Australian legislative process and build knowledge about members, committees and othjer aspects of Paliament.  

By Leon Gettler, Talking Business >>

YOUNGER PEOPLE are increasingly turning away from alcohol.

This is one of the insights of Meredith Walsh, the organiser of the popular FlowJam Healing Arts Festival in the US. The festival takes place annually around the July 4 weekend. It features music genres like jam bands, bluegrass, deep house, and reggae, focusing on soulful connection and spontaneous jamming.

Ms Walsh is a serial entrepreneur, online business strategist, and multi-day festival founder on a mission to help powerful women turn their signature offers into in-person experiences their clients are obsessed with – and that keeps them coming back for years. 

She also offers businesses yearly experiences in East Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar and an African safari. The safari is happening from August 2-12, this year.

Serving Australian markets too

Ms Walsh has also spent time in Australia, getting to know the market here.

She said one of the issues in the US was that the pharmaceutical companies were going “pretty crazy” and a lot of opioids were entering the market – which resulted in “a lot of people” overdosing and getting sick.

“Since I’ve been producing, there’s been as huge shift of people moving towards healing,” Ms Walsh told Talking Business.

“I think the party of getting trashed is moving out with the younger generation,” she said.

“They really want to solve the global issues.

“It’s a generational shift. It’s happening slow.”

Taking the alcohol out can work better

Ms Walsh said she and her teams have also seen businesses making a lot of money from smaller scale festivals that are not serving alcohol.

“A lot of event producers think you need tons of people to make it profitable,  but it’s realty not the case,” she said.

“Smaller micro events can be more profitable, especially focusing on healing instead of serving alcohol, especially if you’re marketing towards the younger generation.

“It can be pretty profitable.”

It is also important for the older generation as they face health issues.

Helping businesses host better events

Ms Walsh also helps organisations and businesses who are hosting events. This is important for brand building for all businesses, she said.

However, she said, hosting events had a whole lot of hidden costs.

“Events is a risky business,” she said.

“It’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. It’s for the ones who are super passionate and it’s a great thing to add on to what you’re already doing in business.

“But as far as scaling events, there are so many coats – which is why I recommend not scaling quickly.”

“I’ve scaled my event over 12 years and I’ve done it really slowly, which is one of the reasons why I’m still around.”

Ms Walsh said COVID had been the big game changer for these sorts of events, because people became more aware of health issues.

“A lot of people woke up and a lot of people shifted their consciousness not only to health but also (about) how they were working,” she said. 

www.facebook.com/meredith.wyman.5

www.leongettler.com

Hear the complete interview and catch up with other topical business news on Leon Gettler’s Talking Business podcast, released every Friday at www.acast.com/talkingbusiness  

https://shows.acast.com/talkingbusiness/episodes/talking-business-22-interview-with-meredith-walsh-from-flow

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THE deadline for the 2026 My First Speech competition has been extended to Wednesday July 29.

Developed by the Department of the House of Representatives, the My First Speech competition provides senior secondary school students a platform to connect with, and learn about, the work of the Australian Parliament. 

The competition invites students in Years 10-12 to imagine themselves as a newly elected Member of Parliament and to write a maximum three-minute speech on an issue they are passionate about.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP said, “One of my key priorities as Speaker has been to promote parliamentary education to students across the country, and this is yet another exciting way that young people can take an active role in our democratic system.”

One winner from each year group will receive an expenses-paid trip to Canberra to deliver their speech at an award ceremony hosted by the Speaker at Parliament House. Winners will also tour the building and other sites of national significance in Canberra.

The My First Speech website has tips and resources to aid students in writing a standout entry.

Entries close at 11:59pm AEST on Wednesday July 29, 2026. For more details and to enter competition, visit My First Speech competition.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science will hold site visits and a public hearing in Sydney this week as part of its inquiry into the current state of the Australian tyre industry, and any challenges and opportunities for the industry within the context of a circular economy.

Committee Chair, Rob Mitchell MP said, "The committee will be making its final pit stop in Sydney to speak with researchers and other tyre industry representatives about work underway to improve circular outcomes for end-of-life tyres.

"On Tuesday, July 14, the committee will visit tyre recycling, retreading and research facilities across Sydney.

"The following day, on Wednesday, July 15, the committee will hear from a range of organisations at a public hearing, including those involved in the tyre, motoring and mining industries. Among those appearing is the Australian Tyre Industry Council, the peak industry body for tyres."

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry webpage.

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Time: 9:15am – 2:30pm (AEST)
Location: Dexus Place, Bennelong Room, Level 15, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney NSW

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

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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THE Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs will hold public hearings in Perth (Monday July 13), Darwin (Wednesday July 15 and Thursday July 16) and Alice Springs (Friday July 17) for its inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The committee will hear from community organisations, leaders, experts, from a range of sectors including health, law and justice, media, and women’s safety, as well as from individuals with lived experience of racism.

Committee Chair, Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman Senator Jana Stewart, said, “These hearings provide opportunities to hear from crucial and underrepresented voices, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and women. It is important to the committee to hear from a broad spectrum of the community.

"Systemic racism has emerged clearly as a major issue in both the submissions and previous public hearings. We want to keep building our understanding of how systemic racism is experienced in the lives and work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities, and use this understanding to hold institutions at all levels accountable to make practical, meaningful change.”

The inquiry is examining the prevalence, impacts and drivers of racism, hate and violence, with a strong focus on online racism, reporting mechanisms, and how governments and institutions can better respond. Evidence gathered during the hearings will inform the committee’s final report to Parliament.

Witnesses scheduled to appear include Boorloo Aboriginal Alliance, the National Indigenous Times (NIT), Ken Wyatt AM JP, who is chair of the University of Western Australia’s Public Policy Institute, Legal Aid WA, the Northern Land Council, Justice not Jails, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (CAAC), Tangentyere Women's Family Safety Group, and the Stars Foundation.

The committee has also invited government agencies from the Northern Territory, including the Northern Territory Attorney-General’s Department to appear.

Information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and the public hearing program, is available on the committee’s website. People can attend the hearing as an observer, by contacting the secretariat via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (02) 6277 4559.

Note: The committee and secretariat are unable to provide counselling, advice, or support for individuals. Help is available:

For First Nations people at:

• 13YARN: 13 92 76
• Brother to Brother: 1800 435 799
• Yarning SafeNStrong: 1800 959 563

For all people:

• Lifeline: Call 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
• MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
• Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
• Headspace: 1800 650 890
• Suicide Call Back Service:1300 659 467
• 1800 Respect: 1800 737 732

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