THE Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade through its Trade Subcommittee is continuing its public hearing program for its inquiry into strengthening Australia’s trade and investment relations with Africa.

Witnesses for the subcommittee’s public hearing will include the Australian Border Force under the Department of Home Affairs portfolio, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, an African nation Head of Mission representative, peak bodies and African community groups, and experts.

Chair of the Trade Subcommittee, Fiona Phillips MP, said, "The subcommittee will be hearing from witnesses with a range of insights across Australia and Africa’s trade and investment footprint. We look forward to exploring both opportunities and challenges in emerging industries such as agribusiness and climate resilience, and the important role of our African communities, NGOs, and education sector in fostering collaborative and enduring partnerships.

"The hearing will also examine the role of Australia’s tariff preference system in facilitating trade, opportunities to expand economic engagement under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, and the importance of policy frameworks to underpin Australia’s economic engagement," she said

‘There is increasing global interest in African nations as economic partners, and it is vitally important for Australia to understand the varying aspects of the trade and investment landscape between our two continents at the regional level, the regulatory environments, emerging markets, existing levers, and the integral role of the African diaspora communities and education sector in shaping and facilitating trade. We look forward to expanding on the suggested recommendations presented in the submissions."

Evidence provided by the witnesses will be integral to informing the subcommittee’s understanding of the breadth of issues under the inquiry.

The subcommittee will be scheduling further public hearings over the coming months.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Friday, 13 March 2026 
Time: 9am – 1:20pm (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra ACT and via videoconference

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

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TODAY (Thursday March 12 2026) the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hear from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for its inquiry into the role of Australia's international development program in preventing conflict.

Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee, the Tim Watts MP, said, "Australia’s international development program provides vital assistance to help build a peaceful and stable future for the Indo-Pacific region.

"The subcommittee looks forward to hearing from representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to their role as the primary government agency administering Australia’s overseas development program.

‘Today's hearing will allow the subcommittee to hear directly from DFAT officials on a range of issues relevant to the inquiry terms of reference, including conflict prevention capability and expertise within DFAT and across government, and Australia’s approach to overseas development in a shifting global aid landscape."

Further information, including the full terms of reference, is available on the Inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Thursday 12 March 2026
Time: 8–9am (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

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

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport’s inquiry into local government funding will hear from Jobs and Skills Australia tomorrow.

The committee wants to better understand labour market conditions, workforce skills, and training needs across Australia, in the context of local government financial sustainability.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, "The committee is particularly interested in hearing about trends in the attraction and retention of a skilled workforce in the local government sector, including impacts of labour hire practices.”

Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2025 Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey found that 58 percent of employers in remote and very remote Australia reported difficulty recruiting in their most recent recruitment rounds. Common problems included distance, competition for workers, and lack of housing.

In regional Australia, the biggest issue was often a shortage of suitable candidates.

Jobs and Skills Australia reported that an ageing workforce, ongoing skills shortages in key roles, and heightened recruitment challenges outside major cities were increasing pressure on the capacity of local governments to deliver services. These challenges are made worse by regional labour market conditions which require localised and tailored solutions.

The committee also wants to look at the issues identified by the agency in its Jobs and Skills Roadmap for Regional Australia – Phase 1 report (released in July 2025). The report shows that the skills needs of regional and remote areas are often different from those of major cities, and that future skills lists should more explicitly reflect these differences.

The committee will examine the barriers local governments face in building and maintaining a sustainable workforce, and opportunities to improve productivity and coordination of local government.

Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing

Date: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
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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THE Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade through its Trade Subcommittee will hold a public hearing with Austrade for its inquiry into strengthening Australia’s trade and investment relations with Africa. 

Chair of the Trade Subcommittee, Fiona Phillips MP, said, "Austrade plays a valuable role in the trade and investment environment by supporting Australian businesses to expand and diversify in international markets. Australian businesses rely on Austrade’s expertise to provide advice on opportunities, market entry, and local business practices to engage with African markets. Austrade is therefore positioned to provide the Subcommittee with valuable insights into its terms of reference."

Austrade’s evidence will provide important context to the subcommittee concerning the current trade and investment landscape between Australia and African nations. Crucially, Austrade's evidence will inform the subcommittee's understanding of the Australian Government’s role in assisting Australian businesses to identify opportunities to diversify to specific African markets, and the government's future policy objectives to support mutually beneficial trade and investment.

The subcommittee will continue its public hearings with a half-day hearing on Friday, March 13. The public hearing program will be released later this week.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Wednesday, 11 March 2026 
Time: 10am – 11am (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra ACT

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

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