REPRESENTATIVES of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and Advance will appear at a public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters on August 21.
Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, "The committee continues to gather information relating to the conduct of the 2025 Federal Election, including engagement by third parties. Transparency is one of the pillars of our democracy, and voters deserve to know who is involved in campaigning at our polling booths.
"I thank the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and Advance for confirming their upcoming attendance to provide evidence to the committee as we further consider these important issues," Mr Laxale said.
THE Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is holding a hearing in Hobart today, August 5, as part of its inquiry into the 2025 federal election.
Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, "The spread of disinformation and misinformation on social media and AI at elections is increasing significantly. In Hobart, the committee will be discussing tools for dealing with online disinformation and misinformation in campaigning.
"The hearing will also discuss the process for redistribution of federal electorates," Mr Laxale said.
The committee will hear from Tasmanian Senator Peter Whish-Wilson in his capacity as Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy, alongside Deputy Chair Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah.
The committee will also hear from former Tasmanian Senator Catryna Bilyk, former Mayor of the City of Clarence, Doug Chipman, and psephologist Kevin Bonham, among others.
11.15 am Senator Peter Whish-Wilson and Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah
12.00 pm Mr Thomas Chick
12.45 pm Break
1.30 pm Dr Robert Hortle, Dr Lachlan Johnson and Mr Doug Chipman
2.15 pm Dr Kevin Bonham
3.00 pm Mrs Catryna Bilyk
3.45 pm Close
Further information on the 2025 election inquiry can be found at the inquiry webpage. Committee details can be found at the Committee’s webpage.
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.
AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW has been commissioned by CEO of the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), Stuart Minchin, to help inform the organisation’s future organisational strategy and ensure it delivers value to Australians in a rapidly changing environment.
The review will form part of the bureau's preparations for its next strategic plan, which will come into effect in the second half of 2027. It will examine how the organisation can best meet the future needs of Australians, industry and community stakeholders, while maintaining the trust and confidence that underpin its role as the nation's trusted source of weather, water, climate and environmental intelligence.
The review has been commissioned in consultation with Federal Environment and Water Minister, Murray Watt, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
It will be led by Phillip Glyde, former chief executive of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. Mr Glyde will be supported by an expert panel including DCCEEW Deputy Secretary, Sean Sullivan and internationally experienced public policy advisor, Raj Nahna.
The panel will assess:
The bureau's service offering and its alignment with current and future community needs.
The effectiveness of public communications and responsiveness to stakeholder needs.
Opportunities to strengthen reputation, resilience and strategic partnerships.
Strategic challenges and opportunities likely to influence the bureau's value over the next decade.
Areas of unmet customer demand and alignment with the bureau's legislative mandate.
The review panel is expected to report back by March 31 next year.
“The work BoM staff do every day is complex and they face a range of pressures, so this review will bring an independent perspective to understanding the services being delivered and how that value can be strengthened into the future," Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt said.
"BoM’s role in keeping Australia safe, informed and prepared in a changing climate has never been more vital. Maintaining trust in, and ensuring the effectiveness of, BoM’s information and services is essential," he said.
"Many Australians rely on BoM to make decisions on-farm, at work and in severe weather, and I know we’re all committed to ensuring that future services meet people’s needs and expectations."
BoM CEO and director of meteorology, Stuart Minchin said, "The development of our next strategy is a significant opportunity to take a fresh look at what matters most to the Australian community and to ensure we are well positioned to meet future challenges and opportunities.
"We deeply value the trust that the Australian public and our customers place in us. Our work underpins essential services, economic activity, environmental health and community wellbeing, for all Australians every day, so it’s important we get it right," Dr Minchin said.
"This review will help the Bureau of Meteorology better understand current and future customer needs and ensure our strategy and services are squarely focussed on the things that are important to the Australian community, our customers and partners.
"The review is firmly focused on the future. It is about ensuring the bureau remains a trusted, modern and responsive organisation that continues to meet the needs and expectations of a changing world."
Committee Chair, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, "There is no more important task than the defence of the nation. We live in a time of geostrategic contest that grows more complex by the day.
"The task of defending the nation and deterring assaults on our sovereignty falls not only to armed service men and women but to every Australian, and engages every sector of the economy and our civil society. The task of readying for the security of Australia impels us to assess the civil preparedness and resilience of our nation.
"Recent conflicts overseas have exposed how quickly Australia’s reliance on the interconnected global economy, and its trade networks, can make us vulnerable to supply chain shocks," Senator O’Neill said.
"The inquiry will consider whole-of-nation support for national defence, continuity of government, and the availability of essential goods and services (including fuel) during times of crisis or conflict. In doing so, the committee will examine opportunities to work with state, territory and local governments in response to crises and conflict, as well as the private sector and Australian communities."
Deputy Chair, Senator Dave Sharma, said, "Australia's deteriorating strategic environment and heightened geopolitical risk requires a greater degree of resilience, preparedness and self-reliance, so Australia can withstand global shocks. This inquiry will contribute to that effort."
Through this inquiry, the committee is aiming to identify the strengths and gaps in Australia’s national civil preparedness and resilience, as it currently stands.
The inquiry will also explore international best practice on national civil preparedness and opportunities to adapt these practices to the Australian context.
The committee has invited submissions that respond to the inquiry’s terms of reference by Friday, November 6. More information, including the terms of reference and details on how to make a submission, can be found on the Committee’s website.
Committee Chair, Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman Senator Jana Stewart, said, “The upcoming hearings will allow the committee to hear from further national stakeholders as well as a range of Tasmanian and Victorian organisations and individuals.
"We look forward to hearing from national sporting organisations and leading media voices about the challenges of addressing racism in public life and the practical measures that can help prevent harmful behaviour and improve accountability. We are keen to explore what further action is needed to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are treated with respect both on and off the field, and across Australia's media landscape.
"The Committee also welcomes the opportunity to hear directly from the Tasmanian Government, including the Tasmanian Department of Health, the Tasmanian Department of Justice and the Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People. We will be interested to hear about the policies, programs and practical measures being implemented across government to prevent and respond to racism and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
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.
In Hobart, witnesses scheduled to appear include the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA), the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance (TRACA), the First Peoples (Tasmania) Aboriginal Corporation (FPTAC) and several Tasmanian Government departments as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals with lived experience of racism. In Melbourne, witnesses include national sporting federations, media organisations (SBS, NITV and the ABC) and several media personalities including John Paul Janke, Narelda Jacobs, Brooke Blurton and Brooke Boney.
Information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and the public hearing program, is available on the committee’s website.
If you would like to attend the hearing as an observer, please contact the secretariat via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (02) 6277 4559.
Please note the committee and secretariat are unable to provide counselling, advice, or support for individuals. Help is available:
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