THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport’s inquiry into local government funding will hear from Geoscape Australia and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing this week.

The committee wants to better understand from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing how local government can be supported to help deliver medical, aged care and disability services across their communities.

In 2025-26, the Australian Government provided nearly $250 million to local governments for a range of public health services, as well as community-based health and home care services, according to the Department. The funds were also to support critical infrastructure and service delivery, particularly in areas of market failure.

The committee will also hear from Geoscape Australia to discuss its role as the nation’s location intelligence organisation, using location data to deliver geospatial capabilities and insights to support local government and business.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, "The committee is keen to hear from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing about whether current funding arrangements are meeting local governments' needs. It also wants to explore how funding can better support councils delivering health, aged care and disability services, particularly in regional and rural communities.

“In regard to Geoscape Australia, the committee looks forward to hearing how Geoscape services can assist local governments with better infrastructure planning, climate resilience, energy management, and how to manage the damage from natural disasters such as flooding.”

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, 13 August 2026
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
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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IF YOU ARE AWAY from home tonight, Census night, your home will be recorded as 'unoccupied' according to HIA senior economist Tom Devitt. And you will could therefore be  misrepresented as being part of the housing supply problem.

“As usual, someone will claim it is one of a million vacant homes that could be utilised to solve Australia’s housing shortage,” Mr Devitt said.

“This and other myths are part of the cause of Australia's housing shortage.

“Every Census the myth of the vacant home resurfaces. Around 10% of Australian homes are recorded as unoccupied on Census night and this is quickly transformed into the claim that Australia has a million vacant homes.

“Unoccupied is not vacant," he said.

“If you're on holiday, away for work, staying with family, in hospital, or simply somewhere else on Census night, your home may be unoccupied. It hasn't suddenly become a vacant home available to solve Australia's housing shortage.

“A home may also be between tenants or owners, newly completed and awaiting occupation, undergoing renovations, part of a deceased estate, or a holiday home.

“A holiday home on the coast does not solve a rental shortage in Sydney. A farmhouse hundreds of kilometres from employment does not house a worker in Melbourne.

“The proportion of Australian homes recorded as unoccupied on Census night has remained remarkably stable over many decades. Vacant homes are not the ‘smoking gun’ that can solve Australia’s housing shortage," Mr Devitt said.

“State governments have even attempted to place a tax on these vacant homes and failed to find meaningful numbers of homes.

“Taxing genuinely vacant homes might sound appealing. But if governments can't find them, it starts to look a lot like taxing a unicorn.

“The tax system already provides investors with a very strong incentive to make their properties available to tenants. An investment property generally needs to be rented or genuinely available for rent for the owner to claim rental property deductions. An investor deliberately withholding a property from the rental market cannot simply claim the associated costs as though the property were producing rental income.

“The idea that enormous numbers of investors are deliberately leaving homes empty while simultaneously enjoying the benefits of negative gearing misunderstands how the tax system works.

“More importantly, it distracts attention from the actual housing problem," he said.

“Australia has a shortage of housing stock in the locations, of the types and at the prices households need.

“Rental vacancy rates remain critically low. Rents are rising. Home prices are elevated and household formation is being suppressed.

“These are symptoms of a housing market where demand exceeds supply.

“Australia is effectively trying to accommodate demand from around 11 million households with substantially fewer suitable and available homes.

“Yet every Census we rediscover around a million homes that happen to be unoccupied on one particular night and convince ourselves that perhaps Australia doesn't need to build more homes after all.

“The solution to a shortage of homes is considerably less exciting, but much more effective.

“Build more homes.

“And if you're spending Census night at your partner's house, visiting your parents, in hospital, away for work or enjoying a holiday, don't worry.

“Your home hasn't suddenly become the solution to Australia's housing shortage,” Mr Devitt said.

ww.hia.com.au

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TODAY (August 10), the Federal Government's ban on self-managed super funds (SMSFs) investing in the residential property sector comes into effect.

Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the decision was the latest in a series of Federal Government policies that failed to recognise their impact on builders and tradies and would put future projects at risk.

"The government's recent ill-considered approach will harm small business builders," Ms Wawn said. "Whether it's the SMSF investment ban, restrictions on housing investment through changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing, or changes to business trust structures, these policies all have significant ramifications.

"Why will the SMSF ban stall projects? Many developments, particularly apartment projects and large master-planned communities, rely on investor pre-sales to secure finance and commence construction. The government should review this policy before it becomes entrenched and, at a minimum, exempt new residential construction from the ban.

"The Federal Budget as a whole is a blow to construction jobs, housing supply and confidence. Builders and tradies are facing cuts to their investment from multiple fronts, rising costs and are being boxed into a no-win situation.

"Australia needs policies that support housing supply and construction investment, and it needs them now, not later,” said Ms Wawn.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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FROM SCAMS and phishing emails to ransomware and data breaches, cyber threats are becoming a growing concern for small and medium sized businesses across Australia.

That's why the Parliamentary Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations wants to hear directly from business owners about the challenges they face and the support they need.

The committee has launched a short stakeholder survey to better understand the cyber security experiences of small and medium sized businesses and organisations.

Committee Chair Sally Sitou MP said the survey is an opportunity for business owners to make their views heard.

"Running a small business is demanding enough without having to worry about cyber criminals targeting your operations, customer data or finances," Ms Sitou said.

"We want to hear what's working, what's not, and what government, industry and cyber security experts can do to better support small businesses.

“Whether you have experienced a cyber incident, are concerned about the cost of cyber security, or need clearer advice and support, we want to hear from you.”

The committee is particularly seeking feedback from businesses with fewer than 200 employees, as well as cyber security and technology experts.

The survey is designed to be quick and easy to complete and will help inform the committee's work examining the cyber security challenges and opportunities facing Australia's small and medium sized businesses.

Have your say by completing the survey here:

Survey on the cyber security preparedness of small to medium sized businesses – Fill out form here.

The survey will be open until January 29, 2027.

Businesses, organisations and individuals who would like to provide more detailed feedback can also make a written submission to the inquiry until August 28, 2026.

A spokesperson for Parliamentary Select Committee said Australians' experience can help shape practical solutions to better protect Australian small businesses and other organisations from cyber threats.

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