THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) has tabled a report recommending the ratification of three strategic Defence treaties.

The AUKUS-UK Agreement between the United Kingdom and Australia provides a framework for the joint development of a new class of submarines, SSN-AUKUS.

The Agreement follows the 2021 AUKUS treaty between Australia, the UK and the US and includes frameworks for the design, construction, operation and disposal of nuclear waste involved in the development of the submarines. The treaty also includes provisions for UK submarine visits and rotations, intellectual property rights and liability.

The UK Defence Agreement aims to update an existing 2014 treaty to modernise Australia’s defence and security arrangements with the UK. The new agreement will deepen cooperation between the two nations and expand the scope of bilateral collaboration, particularly relating to cyber security, military equipment and capabilities.

The Indonesia Defence Agreement upgrades and replaces an existing arrangement with one that is binding under international law. The agreement will increase opportunities for defence collaboration between the two nations and has provisions for cooperation.

Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP said, “These three treaties play a significant role in strengthening Australia’s longstanding defence and security relationships with its key bilateral partners, the United Kingdom and Indonesia. In particular, the AUKUS-UK Agreement will play a key role in Australia’s defence security, maintaining regional stability and growing its industrial capacity.”

The report also contains eight minor treaty actions relating to Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974.

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

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THE Electoral Matters Committee will continue its program of public hearings as part of the review into the 2025 Federal Election.

On October 31 in Canberra, the committee will hear from several stakeholders in its election review, including the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce, Global Shield Australia and Prof Kim Rubenstein.

On November 7 in Canberra, the committee will hear from political participants; including members and senators.

The committee will begin interstate hearings later this year and early into next year, starting with dates in Melbourne (Kew Court House on November 12) and Bendigo (All Seasons Resort Hotel on November 13).

Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, "We are keen to hear views from voters and other election participants as we visit places around Australia. We encourage anyone who is interested in speaking with the Committee on 12 or 13 November to register their interest as soon as possible. Information is available from the committee website."

Mr Laxale said, "Now that hearings are underway, we are also keen to get as many written submissions into the public domain as possible — while late submissions can be accepted, we hope that the majority of individuals and organisations can get their views to us by November 14."

In the meantime, the committee has commenced closely reviewing the submissions provided to date, and is publishing them on the inquiry webpage.

"The committee has given careful consideration to ensuring that people can freely express their views, while also balancing the implications of adversely naming specific individuals or candidates," Mr Laxale said.

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: Friday, 31 October 2025
Time: 9am to 3.30pm
Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

9am–9.30am:        Global Shield Australia
9.30am–10am:      Professor Kim Rubenstein
10am–11am:    Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce
11am–11.15 am:    Break
11.15 am–1pm:      Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce
1pm:                         Adjournment

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

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit will hold public hearings this Friday as part of two inquiries.

These inquiries are The effectiveness of Australia’s National Anti-Doping Scheme; and The procurement of mandated national support and advocacy services for victims of child sexual abuse.

Date: Friday, 31 October 2025

Time: 9am – 12pm (AEDT)

Venue: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House

Program

Inquiry into the effectiveness of Australia’s National Anti-Doping Scheme

9am           Sport Integrity Australia

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Australian National Audit Office.

Inquiry into the procurement of mandated national support and advocacy services for victims of child sexual abuse

10.35am         Attorney-General’s Department

                        Australian National Audit Office

12pm          Close

The hearings will be broadcast live and will be accessible from the Parliament House website at www.aph.gov.au/live.

Details on the inquiries—including the terms of reference and submissions received—are available on the Committee’s website.

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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.

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

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TOMORROW (October 28, 2025) the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will conduct its first public hearing into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24 since the inquiry was re-adopted in the 48^th Parliament.

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."

Further information, including the full Terms of Reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Time: 5.40pm–7.30pm (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra

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

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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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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will hold a public hearing on October 23 for its inquiry into the Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).

This inquiry lapsed on March 28, 2025, with the prorogation of Parliament, and was re-referred to the committee for continued consideration in the 48^th Parliament.

The inquiry will consider the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) which were unanimously adopted at the 77^th World Health Assembly in Geneva on June 1, 2024.

At the public hearing, the committee will examine how the Amended IHR define countries’ obligations and rights in responding to public health emergencies of international concern, and their focus on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This includes provisions which increase Member States’ access to essential health products and financing required in public health emergencies.

Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP said, "The inquiry will consider how the Amendments to the International Health Regulations aim to facilitate greater cooperation between Australia, and our international partners, in future high-risk health events, by encouraging collective action, and clarifying the rights and responsibilities of Member States during public health emergencies."

The committee will hear evidence from:

• The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing;
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade;
• Australian Medical Professionals Society;
• Australians for Science and Freedom;
• Australian Multicultural Action Network;
• Australian Institute for Infectious Diseases.

Further information is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday 23 October 2025
Time: 14:45 to 17:00.
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra and online

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

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