Education Committee to hear firsthand perspectives on Asia capability

Committee Chair, Tim Watts MP, said, "Australia’s multicultural identity is a national asset. Our people, their lived experiences, and cultural knowledge are tools of influence that must be represented in our institutions.

"While we have more work to do to fully break the ‘bamboo ceiling’, Asian Australians have increasingly broken through into positions of leadership in our national institutions in recent times and have directly demonstrated the Asia Capabilities latent in our diaspora communities.

"However, these diaspora communities require support to build and maintain their Asia capabilities too. Asia capabilities, particularly language fluency, tends to diminish through the generations and requires real effort to maintain. Structured learning can increase impact of all forms of tacit cultural knowledge," Mr Watts said.

"The committee is looking forward to hearing firsthand perspectives in identifying structural and societal barriers to building Asia capability. This hearing will examine not only how to make the most of the existing Asia capabilities of our diaspora communities, but also how we can maintain and develop these capabilities into the future."

Submissions to the inquiry are open until Friday, November 7, and the committee will schedule further public hearings soon.

Public hearing

Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Time: 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra.

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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