THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability has commenced a new inquiry into the proposed Thriving Kids initiative program.

Committee Chair, Dr Mike Freelander MP, said, "Foundational supports play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectories of children with developmental delay and autism, offering the scaffolding necessary for optimal growth, learning, and wellbeing.

"The launch of this inquiry marks a significant initial step toward ensuring that the voices of families, professionals, educators and the wider community are central to designing a program that meets the real and evolving needs of Australian children. It provides an opportunity for a broad spectrum of stakeholders to share their insights and recommendations, ensuring that policies are practical, equitable, and responsive," Dr Freelander said.

The final design will be settled between the Australian Government and state and territory governments and the Thriving Kids Advisory Group that will be co-chaired by the Health Minister the Hon Mark Butler MP and Professor Frank Oberklaid AM.

The committee has welcomed the views of parents and families; disability representative organisations; disabled people's organisations; disability representative and carer organisations; health care professionals (GPs and other medical specialists, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals); early childhood, preschool and primary school educators; and service providers.

The Committee has invited interested individuals and organisations to make submissions by Friday, October 3, 2025.

A brief survey is also now available to gather community feedback on the experiences of families and carers in accessing support services for children with additional needs. The survey will be open until Friday, October 10, 2025.

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

ends

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) has commenced an inquiry into Sport Integrity Australia’s (SIA) management of the National Anti-Doping Scheme.

SIA was established in 2020 to protect Australian sporting integrity through a coordinated national approach that includes the detection and prevention of illegal drug use by athletes.

Committee Chair Josh Burns MP said, “Sport Integrity Australia has been tasked with the vital role of detecting and preventing the unlawful use of drugs in Australian sport. It is of great interest to the Committee whether the current scheme to achieve this is working as it should. The Australian National Audit Office has provided advice to the committee recommending further investigation.”

"Given the importance of sport in Australian life, and as we approach the hosting of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane which will be another wonderful landmark in our nation’s sporting history, it is critical that SIA has effective management and governance arrangements in place.”

The inquiry’s terms of reference will include an examination of SIA’s testing and investigative functions, the alignment of Australia’s Anti-Doping Scheme with both domestically and internationally established standards, and the prevalence and causes of unlawful doping in Australian sport.

The inquiry will further consider the findings in Auditor-General Report No.27 2024-25 Sport Integrity Australia’s Management of the National Anti-Doping Scheme.

Submissions to the inquiry addressing its terms of reference have been invited by Friday, October 17, 2025.

Further details of this inquiry – including its terms of reference, submissions received and public hearing schedules – can be accessed on the inquiry website.

ends

THE 2025 edition of the national My First Speech competition for year 10, 11 and 12 students, run out of the Hosue of Representatives in Canberra, is open and now accepting submissions.

The My First Speech competition seeks to engage young Australians in democracy and speak about the issues that are important to them.

Students are asked to write a 90-second speech on a topic they are passionate about, as if they are making their first speech in the House of Representatives.

A winner from each year group will be selected and flown to Canberra with a parent or guardian, where they get to deliver their speech at Parliament House. Winners will also meet Members of Parliament, tour Parliament House, and learn more about the democratic process.

A panel of judges, which includes Members and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP, will choose the winner from each year group.

Entries close at 11.59pm (AEST) on 1September 15, 2025. More details can be found on the My First Speech website at: My First Speech Competition – Make your first speech.

ends

THE Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in now inviting submissions to its inquiry into the 2025 Federal Election.

In keeping with previous parliaments, the committee has been asked to undertake a review of the last federal election.

Jerome Laxale MP, Committee Chair, said, ‘The inquiry plays an important role in ensuring the Australian public have their say in how their elections are run.

"We have one of the oldest and most respected democracies on earth. Keeping that standard requires ongoing scrutiny."

Matters widely reported during the 2025 election raise serious questions about safety, security and voter experience. Voters, volunteers and officials should never feel intimidated, harassed or have such an experience that they are discouraged from participating at future elections.’

The terms of reference of the inquiry call on the committee to focus its attention on the following emerging issues:

• assessment and review of the purported increase in incidents of aggressive conduct, deliberate obstruction, and intimidating behaviour towards voters, political participants, volunteers, and Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) officials;
• potential reform of safety and security arrangements, including consideration of the powers, processes, and capacity of the AEC to manage and address increasingly threatening or disruptive behaviour;
• reforms to address the ongoing threats of interference in our electoral system, both foreign and domestic; and
• the composition of the Parliament as a whole; including the length of the parliamentary term, the potential for fixed terms, and the number of elected representatives relative to the growth in population and the electorate.

The full terms of reference for the inquiry are also available on the inquiry webpage.

Submissions addressing any or all of the terms of reference are now invited, prior to the committee commencing public hearings in mid-October.

The committee will further announce its program of public hearings as the inquiry progresses. All relevant information will be available from the committee website.

ends