THE Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth has released its final report into the Australian Government’s approach to negotiating trade and investment agreements, which examined how Australia can strengthen its approach to trade negotiations.

Australia’s trade and investment agreements reduce barriers to trade for Australian goods, services, and investment, creating well paid and secure jobs, improving Australia's economic resilience, and contributing to economic growth and increased living standards.

Throughout the inquiry the committee heard about the immense benefits of trade to Australia, as well as the need to ensure that agreements are genuinely in the national interest.

Committee Chair Steve Georganas MP, said, “Trade makes a significant contribution to Australia’s prosperity and our approach to negotiating trade and investment agreements has served us well. However, it’s evident to the committee that more robust processes to identify the impact of agreements on Australian jobs and industries would be highly valuable.

"We must continue to adapt and improve our approach to ensure that our participation in international trade is of the greatest benefit to all Australians.”

The committee’s report makes eight recommendations to strengthen Australia’s approach to negotiating trade and investment agreements including by:

• Undertaking independent modelling and analysis of each proposed or under review agreement.
• Establishing a consistent approach to evaluating agreements including conducting broader assessment of economic, social, and environmental impacts.
• Seeking to include human rights, labour, and environmental chapters in agreements, that where appropriate contain specific references to relevant international standards.
• Seeking to not include provisions in agreements that waive labour market and skills testing requirements or investor state dispute settlement provisions.
• Pursuing the inclusion of provisions in agreements that protect and promote First Nations intellectual property.
• Establishing a legislative framework to guide some elements of the negotiation of trade and investment agreements.

The committee’s final report builds on its interim report published on February 6, 2024, that made five recommendations focussed on improving transparency, accountability, and oversight in the process for negotiating Australia’s trade and investment agreements.

Throughout the inquiry, the committee held eight public hearings in Canberra, Melbourne and virtually, in addition to receiving 54 written submissions from businesses, unions, industry associations, government agencies, community groups and individuals.                                 

The committee thanked those who had taken part in the inquiry by providing written submissions and giving evidence at public hearings.

The committee’s final report can be found on the inquiry webpage.

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THE Trade Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold a public hearing today in Launceston for its inquiry into Australia’s tourism and international education sectors.

The subcommittee will hear evidence from the international education sector, including universities and student representatives. The subcommittee will also hear from regional tourism and businesses organisations, the aviation industry, tourism operators, and representatives from the State Government.

Chair of the Trade Subcommittee, Senator Deborah O’Neill said, "The subcommittee is excited to learn how the education and tourism sectors in regional Tasmania were impacted and have recovered from COVID-19, and hear what opportunities witnesses have identified to further strengthen each sector."

Further information about the inquiry and program (here), are available on the inquiry webpage.

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Public hearings details

Launceston, Tasmania

Date: Wednesday, 1 May 2024
Venue: Rooms 4 & 5, Hotel Grand Chancellor Launceston, 29 Cameron St, Launceston, TAS
Time: 9:00am – 5:15pm (AEST)

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) will be holding public hearings today, April 24, for its inquiries into Defence major projects, the Commonwealth fianncial statements and information technology issues including the Federal Government's failed visa privatisation process.

Specificall, the hearings cover the 2022–23 Defence Major Projects Report (first hearing). the Commonwealth Financial Statements 2022–23 (second hearing) and the failed visa privatisation process and the implementation of other public sector IT procurements and projects (continuing).

The details are:

Date:             Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Time:             8.45am – 5pm (AEST)
Venue:           Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House and by videoconference

Program:

Inquiry into the Defence Major Projects Report 2022–23
8.45am           Department of Defence
                            Australian National Audit Office

Inquiry into the failed visa privatisation process and implementation of other public sector IT procurements and projects
10.30am         Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
                             Australian National Audit Office
                             Workforce Australia IT System (Digital Employment Services Platform) and Apprenticeships Data Management System

11.15am         Department of Finance
                             Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
                             Australian National Audit Office
                             Parliamentary Expenses Management System (PEMS)

12.30pm         Department of Finance
                             Digital Transformation Agency
                             Review and approval processes for IT systems

Inquiry into Commonwealth Financial Statements 2022–23
3.30pm           Department of Health and Aged Care
                             Australian National Audit Office
                             Potential legislative breaches relating to various benefits and services and significant finding regarding legislative compliance and legal advice

4pm           Department of Social Services
                             Australian National Audit Office
                             Late disclosure of information on income apportionment

4.30pm           Australian Taxation Office
                             Australian National Audit Office
                             IT Change Management policies and practices and other unresolved findings relating to pursuing debt and re-raises

The hearings will be broadcast live and will be accessible from the Parliament House website.

Details on the inquiries – including the terms of reference and submissions received – are available on the Committee website.

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THE House Standing Committee on Economics will hold public hearings in western Sydney, the Hawkesbury and the Central West from May 7–10 as part of its inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.

Committee Chair Daniel Mulino MP said the inquiry had heard from regulators, insurance companies and consumer advocacy and legal rights groups and, “Now we want to hear firsthand from the locals in some of the worst-hit regions.”

The committee will hold public hearings at Cabonne Community Centre, Molong on Tuesday May 7; Eugowra Bowling Club, Eugowra on Wednesday May 8; Richmond Club, Richmond on Thursday May 9; and at Mantra Parramatta, at Parramatta,  on Friday May 10.

The committee has recently held hearings in south-east Queensland, Lismore NSW, Maribyrnong (western Melbourne) and regional Victoria.

The committee will next travel to Molong and Eugowra in central-west NSW, which were devastated by unprecedented flash flooding in November 2022. The committee will also hear evidence in Richmond from communities along the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, which was hit by back-to-back flood events in February 2020, March 2021, March, April and July 2022 – the worst flood since 1978 – October 2022, and again in April this year. The committee will then take evidence in Parramatta in western Sydney.

Dr Mulino said the committee would hear from affected councils, community organisations and businesses, which are being invited to give evidence at roundtable discussions. Organisations that wish to contribute can email their interest to the committee secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Expressions of interest are also sought from residents to give a three to four-minute public statement about their experience with their insurers. Dr Mulino urged people “with a story to share, and who are willing to go on the public record, to register – as soon as possible – their interest in appearing”.

The committee would like to hear about any of the following issues:

• the experiences of policyholders before, during and after making claims;
• timeframes for resolving claims;
• obstacles to resolving claims;
• insurers’ communication with policyholders;
• accessibility, affordability and quality of hydrology reports and other expert assessments;
• affordability of insurance premiums;
• claimants’ experiences of insurers’ dispute resolution processes..

People who wish to make a public statement should email a one or two sentence summary of their experience to the committee secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They should write 'Public hearing' and the hearing location (Molong, Eugowra, Richmond or Parramatta) in the subject line and include the full name(s) for each person who wants to participate, as well as a contact number and email address.

Dr Mulino said not everyone may be able to be accommodated on the day.

“We know that in some of these places almost everyone has a story to tell," Dr Mulino said. "But for anyone who misses out or who wishes to provide information to the committee, there is still time to make a public or confidential submission, and/or complete our online survey.”

More than 400 people have completed the survey about their experience with their insurer. The survey is open until July 31 and is available here.

Submissions can be uploaded through this online link or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until July 31, 2024.

Programs for the hearings will be posted on the inquiry website closer to the time. A live audio stream of the hearings will be available on the APH website.

For further information contact the Committee secretariat on 02 6277 4707 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Public hearings, May 2024:

Molong, NSW

Date: 7 May 2024
Time: 9am (tbc)
Location: Cabonne Community Centre, 98 Bank St, Molong

Eugowra, NSW

Date: 8 May 2024
Time: 9am (tbc)
Location: Eugowra Bowling Club, 5 Hill St, Eugowra

Richmond, NSW

Date: 9 May 2024
Time: 9am (tbc)
Location: Richmond Club, 6 E Market St, Richmond

Parramatta, NSW

Date: 10 May 2024
Time: 9am (tbc)
Location: Mantra Parramatta, Parramatta

For more information about the Economics Committee and its flood inquiry, visit its website.

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