ON NOVEMBER 19 and 21, the Defence subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will be holding public hearings in Darwin and Perth for its inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24.

The subcommittee will be conducting site visits and meeting Defence personnel across Defence bases in Australia’s north and west before holding public hearings in these locations. The subcommittee will hear from the Department of Defence, the Australian Submarine Agency and industry, and will focus on the following terms of reference:

• Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities;
• Defence Estate, Security and Resilience; and
• AUKUS.

Chair of the Defence subcommittee, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, "Australia’s northern Defence bases are critical to our National Defence Strategy and it is essential that the subcommittee understands the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

"The subcommittee will also be focused on discussing the progress of AUKUS, the ongoing delivery of maritime capability to the Australian Defence Force, and the uplift of the maritime industrial base that underpins national defence.

"The Defence assets stationed in the Northern Territory and Western Australia play a vital role in safeguarding the nation and the subcommittee is keen to support the Department of Defence in their mission of protecting Australia."

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

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Time: 1pm–3pm (ACST)
Location: Nitmiluk Room, Legislative Assembly, Darwin

and

Date: Friday, 21 November 2025
Time: 9am–12pm (AWST)
Location: Committee Room 1, Legislative Assembly, Perth

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

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics has commenced a review of Australia’s four major banks with public hearings to be held in Canberra next week with the CEOs of ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank and Westpac.

Committee Chair, Ed Husic MP, said, "These hearings play an important part in opening up to public view the way the major banks operate in Australia.

"At a time when households and businesses across the country continue to embrace digital pathways for their banking and payment services, the committee will look at how major banks are balancing the interests of their customers and stakeholders.

"The committee is keen to hear how the four banks are managing current and emerging risks, especially the threats posed by scams, fraud and new technologies," Mr Husic said.

"With banks increasingly deploying artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to transform and support their operations, the Committee has – for the first time – made these areas a specific focus within the review’s terms of reference."

Through its hearings, the committee will examine matters related to: 

• interest rates on deposits and loans, the financial position of borrowers and the role of banks in supporting the flow of credit to households and small businesses; 
• impacts of proposed changes to surcharging, interchange caps and fee transparency;
• how the banks interact with customers;
• how banks are using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies;
• actions taken to protect customers from scams;
• service delivery and operational performance, including access to banking in regional, rural and remote areas;
• responses to climate change and support of Australia’s climate and sustainability goals; and
• the ongoing implementation of recommendations of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.  

Programs for the hearings and the full terms of reference for the inquiry are available on the committee’s webpage.  

This inquiry is not open to submissions. 

Public hearing details:

Location (both days): Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Date: Tuesday 18 November 2025

Time:  9:15am to 5pm AEDT

Banks: Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac Group.

Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025

Time:  9:15am to 5pm AEDT

Banks: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited and National Australia Bank.

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

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) has commenced an inquiry into the 2023-24 Commonwealth Financial Statements, which are audited each year by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).

This audit provides the Parliament with an independent examination of the Commonwealth’s accounts and possible financial statement risks.

Committee Chair Josh Burns MP, said, "Investigating different aspects of the Commonwealth Financial Statements Audit findings by ANAO continues to be an integral aspect of the JCPAA’s work. This inquiry provides a valuable vehicle for this Committee to further scrutinise any issues with the governance arrangements and internal control frameworks of Commonwealth entities on behalf of the Parliament."

Areas of interest to the committee include:

• legislative breaches relating to incorrect remuneration payments;
• greatly increased AI use across the Commonwealth but a lack of established internal policies governing this technology in more than one-third of entities;
• issues with the IT control environment, particularly IT security;
• the timeliness of financial statement preparation.

The inquiry will examine Auditor-General Report No. 22 of 2024-25: Audits of the Financial Statements of Australian Government Entities for the Period Ended 30 June 2024.

The committee has invited submissions to the inquiry, to be received by Friday, December 5, 2025.

Details of the inquiry – including the terms of reference and public hearings – will be made available on the Committee website.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport has launched a new inquiry into the funding and financial sustainability of local governments in Australia.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, "The committee wants to gain a deeper understanding of the financial relationship between local government and other levels of government in Australia, with a particular emphasis on funding mechanisms and fiscal sustainability."

The inquiry aims to identify how funding arrangements affect local government’s ability to deliver services and invest in local infrastructure by identifying all sources of government funding received by local governments.

The committee will also be exploring how to overcome barriers to infrastructure service delivery. It will consider trends in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce, impediments to security for local government workers and the impacts of labour hire practices.

The committee will be considering whether existing funding mechanisms are addressing the evolving responsibilities of local governments.

The committee said it welcomes submissions from interested organisations and individuals by February 3, 2026. Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the committee’s website.

Evidence provided to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport inquiry into Local Government Sustainability of the 47^th Parliament will be considered as part of this new inquiry.

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• the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relating to Air Services;
• the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Colombia relating to Air Services; and
• the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Peru relating to Air Services.

These agreements establish the first treaty-level air services relationships between Australia and the countries of Saudi Arabia, Colombia and Peru.

Each agreement will enable the development and operations of international air services between Australia and the respective countries. They outline provisions relating to safety, security, regulatory compliance and commercial arrangements. These Agreements will benefit Australian travellers and businesses and will expand opportunities in tourism and export sectors.

Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP said, “Air Services Agreements play an important role in enhancing Australia’s global connectivity. The committee found these three agreements are expected to deliver economic benefits, particularly in tourism, education and trade.”

The report can be found on the Committee website, along with further information on the inquiry.

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THE Australian tyre industry, and its challenges and opportunities in the circular economy, will be the focus of a new inquiry by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science.

Australia generates more than 67 million end-of-life tyres each year, with many ending up in landfill, stockpiles, or exported without adequate oversight.

Improving innovation in the Australian tyre industry presents major opportunities to reinforce domestic manufacturing capabilities and facilitate the development of new markets for recycled materials, contributing to waste reduction and improved resource efficiency.

Committee Chair, Rob Mitchell MP, said, "It’s time for the rubber to hit the road. We want to understand the full lifecycle of a tyre, and how circular economy practices in reuse, retreading and resource recovery can be improved.

"A key focus for the committee will be the development of high-value uses for tyre-derived materials, including tyre designs, recycling processes and alternative materials," Mr Mitchell said.

The inquiry will also consider product stewardship schemes, infrastructure needs, regulatory settings, and environmental and community impacts.

"We are seeking input from all parts of the sector, from manufacturers and recyclers to researchers and community organisations," Mr Mitchell said.

"This is a critical part of our economy with huge potential for innovation. We want to hear about how the Australian Government can support the tyre industry to become more sustainable into the future."

The committee invited written submissions addressing the inquiry terms of reference by Friday, January 23, 2026.

Further information, including the terms of reference and details on how to make a submission can be found on the Committee’s website.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) has adopted a new inquiry into gender equality as a national security and economic security imperative.

Chair of the JSCFADT, Shayne Neumann MP, said, “Gender equality is important on so many fronts. We’ve talked about how important it is for productivity, but this inquiry is a great opportunity to have a broader conversation about the role it plays in Australia’s economic and national security, and international security as a whole.”

Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee, Tony Zappia MP, said, “We know that when a crisis happens, whether conflict or climate disaster, women and girls are disproportionately impacted and gender equality suffers.

"This was acknowledged 25 years ago when the United Nations Security Council adopted the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. The committee hopes to explore how Australia can better contribute to efforts by the international community in advancing and implementing this agenda.”

Key themes of the inquiry’s focus include:

• The economic security and national security benefits of realising gender equality for every person, and how the integration of gender equality across foreign policy supports this objective;
• Evidence and data that demonstrates the links between gender equality and economic growth and prosperity, including in food security and labour markets;
• The international and national security implications of undermining gender equality, including in the context of humanitarian crises and climate change;
• The role of locally-led leadership and decision making in advancing gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda;
• The Australian government's efforts to advance gender equality and the human rights of women and girls across all aspects of foreign policy, defence and national security;
• The Women, Peace and Security agenda internationally and Australia's role in promoting and implementing it.

The subcommittee is now inviting written submissions by Tuesday, 20 January 2026.

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THE Electoral Matters Committee is inviting community input on the recent Federal Election at its upcoming hearings.

Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, "I’m excited to be bringing these hearings home to New South Wales. The committee has already learned a lot from some of the eye-opening submissions coming out of the State.

"We really want to keep hearing from community members about their experiences during the 2025 Federal Election. These community statements can tell you so much about how our elections can leave an impact on people’s lives."

The committee will be holding hearings in Dapto (November 19, 2025) and Parramatta (November 20, 2025). As part of these hearings, members of the public will be invited to get on the record by making short verbal statements of up to five minutes.

"We want to hear from you about your 2025 election experience, whether you have put in a submission or not," Mr Laxale said.

"You will just need to tell us what you wish to talk to the committee about and a bit about how you participated in the election. The more people we hear from on the day, the better informed the committee will be," he said.

To register your interest in making a statement at upcoming hearings, contact the committee secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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, 19 November 2025
Location: Berkeley Neighbourhood Centre, 40 Winnima Way, Berkeley NSW 2506

Date: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Location: Mantra Parramatta, Cnr Parkes St and Valentine Ave, Parramatta NSW 2150

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

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