Critical minerals and regional Australia

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold a public hearing in Canberra as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.

On Friday, October 16 the committee will hear from environmental scientist Dr Dora Pearce, the Victorian-based Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Regional Development Australia Gippsland and the Quantum Sunlands Project, focussed on graphite mining and processing.

In its submission, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining observes that "critical minerals development is disproportionately occurring in places already shaped by socio-economic disadvantage and uneven development. This has consequences for how governments should think about economic benefit, workforce participation, infrastructure, cumulative pressure, and the distribution of risk and benefit."

Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said, ‘The inquiry has highlighted both the tremendous opportunities and real challenges presented by critical minerals projects. Some questions have been raised in regional Australia about the benefits to them.

"Governments must be prepared to shape policy to ensure that grasping the opportunities provides direct benefits to affected communities, at minimal cost, as well as broader benefits to the nation. That will ensure social licence for industries and governments alike."

More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on making a submission, can be found on the inquiry website.

Public hearing

Date: Friday, 16 October 2026
Time: 9am – 12.40pm (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra.

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.

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