THIS EVENING (November 25), the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hear from Dr John Coyne and Ms Raelene Lockhorst on behalf of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and Mr David Goodrich OAM on behalf of Anduril as part of its inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24.

The subcommittee will discuss uncrewed and autonomous systems and their integration into the Joint Force, Defence estate, security and resilience, and Australian international defence cooperation and competition.

Chair of the Defence Subcommittee, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, ‘This will be the last scheduled hearing the subcommittee will hold for its inquiry into the Defence Annual Report 2023-24. It will be an opportunity to gain final insights from both defence experts and industry which will be used to inform the Subcommittee’s recommendations."

‘This inquiry has been a valuable opportunity to support the critical work of the Department of Defence in safeguarding the nation," she said.

‘The subcommittee appreciates the support of Defence, academia, industry and members of the Australian public who have contributed to the inquiry."

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

Public Hearing Details

Date: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Time: 5.40pm–7.30pm (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra.

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THE winners of the My First Speech competition will be visiting Canberra next week to have their say.

THE Electoral Matters Committee is inviting community input on the 2025 Federal Election at its upcoming hearings.

Committee Chair, Jerome Laxale MP said, "We have already learnt so much from the candid submissions and statements we have received. As the committee makes its final trip of the year to Queensland, our focus remains clear: we want to hear from community members about their experience of the 2025 Federal Election."

The committee will be holding hearings in Brisbane (December 10, 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.

"Your insights, concerns, and lived experiences of the 2025 Federal Election are essential to shaping the work of the committee. Community statements are essential to helping us understand what change is needed. If you want to speak to the committee, you just need to tell us how you participated in the election and what you would like to talk to the committee about," Mr Laxale 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, 10 December 2025
Location: Hotel Grand Chancellor, 23 Leichhardt Street, Spring Hill QLD 4000

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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THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works (the committee) will consider the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s (CSIRO) proposed part-life refit of the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) under the Public Works Act 1969.

The proposed works were referred for inquiry and report on September 2, 2025. The committee will conduct a site inspection at the CSIRO Geelong ACDP, with a public hearing at Virginia Todd Hall, Geelong West, to follow.

CSIRO seeks to build a new 1,400m² high-containment laboratory wing as part of the first stage of their ACDP Part-life Refit Project to address current compliance issues in laboratory design and replace end-of-life critical infrastructure. The proposed works intend to provide safe, fit-for-purpose facilities that enhance Australia’s resilience to respond to pandemic events and improve CSIRO’s delivery of biosecurity services.

The estimated cost of the proposed works is $372,216,000 (excluding GST).

The committee will hear from relevant officers from CSIRO at the hearing. Interested members of the public are encouraged to listen in to the public hearing via the APH website or attend the hearing in person at the location listed below.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 21 November 2025
Time: 12pm–12:40pm
Location: Virginia Todd Hall, 9–15 Clarence St, Geelong West, VIC 3218

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

Please note: the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is not involved in the tendering process, awarding of contracts or details of the proposed works. Enquiries on these matters should be directed to the relevant Commonwealth entities.

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