SUBMISSIONS are now open for the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters inquiry into the 2019 Federal Election.

The roles of pre-poll voting, political advertising standards, disinformation and third-party actors are expected to be examined by the Committee.

Committee Chair, Senator James McGrath said Australia had seen more people casting their vote before election day than ever before.

"More and more Australians are choosing to vote early. It is imperative we have voting options, but we need to examine what impact this increased uptake in pre-poll voting is having." Senator McGrath said.

Senator McGrath said the rise of social media manipulation and disinformation campaigns were a threat to democracy.

"Increasingly, Australians are consuming and accessing their news online, away from traditional offline sources. We need to ensure our electoral processes take the serious dangers of digital platforms and disinformation into account."

The committee is expected to hear from a wide range of individuals and organisations, including the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

Senator McGrath said, "Elections are everybody’s business, so we are not just reviewing the AEC's performance. This inquiry is an opportunity to look at all actors who participate in our elections, including third-parties. It is an opportunity to see what we can do to improve future elections."

Submissions are open until September 20, 2019. The terms of reference can be found on the committee's website.

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IN AN AUSTRALIAN first, a mentoring program for senior high school girls is expected to boost the number of women working in Queensland’s resources sector. 

Tonight, 20 girls from Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) schools spread across Queensland will be at BHP's Brisbane headquarters to receive graduation certificates for the program, in which they were individually mentored by 20 women already working in the sector. 

“The results of the program, launched on International Women’s day this year have been outstanding,” said Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Ian Macfarlane. 

“All of the mentees said that their monthly coaching sessions were beneficial to their development. And, it was great to see that all 20 mentors said they also benefited from the program. 

“I applaud the fantastic support we’ve had for this program from the Queensland Government and our industry sponsors namely, Glencore Coal, Anglo American, BHP, Evolution Mining, New Hope, Peabody, Idemitsu, Hastings Deering, BGC Contracting, MPC Kinetic and Qmetco Limited," he said.

“I’m sure they’ll be keeping tabs on the progress of these exceptional young women as they transition to further studies.

“I also acknowledge the role of Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) in the success of the program, with whom we work closely to improve the gender balance in our sector. 

“This program is part of QRC’s plan to improve the sector’s gender balance, with the proportion of women now at 16.5 percent, up from just 6 percent in 2006," Mr Macfarlance said.

“The feedback received from the girls and their mentors speaks for itself,” said Platinum Sponsor Glencore Coal’s Anna Wendtman.

“If we are to increase the proportion of women working in our sector, it’s important to expose the next generation of women to the sector, and provide female role models,” Ms Wendtman said.

The QRC/WIMARQ Girls Mentoring Program aims to provide encouragement and mentoring support for year 12 girls intending to transition into education and training, for vocational and professional careers in the resources and related sectors. 

The QMEA is a partnership between the QRC and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program. It has 60 schools throughout Queensland.  

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland‘s resources sector. The Queensland resources sector provides one in every five dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight Queensland jobs, and supports more than 15,400 businesses and community groups across the state, all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass. 

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has supported harsher penalties for activists who break the law and commit illegal trespass, as proposed under the Criminal Code (Trespass Offences) Amendment Bill currently before the State Parliament.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said action was needed to strengthen the laws because the current laws are being circumvented by organised and professional protestors.

“QRC supports the right of every Queenslander to protest peacefully.  But there’s nothing peaceful or safe about the tactics activists are using to delay and disrupt lawful projects,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Existing laws do not provide a significant deterrent to unlawful trespass, because it’s often the case that fines are small and no convictions are recorded.

“For example, most protestors who have been charged for blocking rail corridors receive fines between $100 and $500, often with no conviction recorded. There have been instances where fines have been reduced on appeal because of the inability of the protestor to pay.

“This is despite the fact that trespass on rail lines is extremely dangerous and disruptive.

“Protestors have characterised this type of illegal trespass as ‘non-violent, safe, direct action’.  But this is a fantasy. 

“The only reason protestors can claim to be ‘safe’ is because they are relying on the strict safety environment and skilled staff who work on the rail network," Mr Macfarlane said.

“There is a grave risk to protestor safety, train driver safety and community safety from this type of reckless action. The current laws are no longer fit for purpose and are in urgent need of reform.

“QRC respects people’s right to protest peacefully. In fact, lawful protest in full compliance with the law is something our own industry has supported in our recent ‘Fair Go for the Regions’ march.

“However, protestors cannot be allowed to flout the law at their own choosing and to continually disrupt lawful business and people going about their day-to-day lives.

“We urge the Queensland Parliament to pass the Criminal Code (Trespass Offences) Amendment Bill in the interests of community safety.

“QRC also welcomes the action in the Federal Parliament to introduce legislation to create new offences for trespass on agricultural land.  We’re calling on the Federal Government to expand those laws to include trespass on mines, ports and other resources infrastructure.”

www.qrc.org.au

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy has commenced an inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia.

Chair of the committee, Ted O’Brien MP, said a fresh look at nuclear energy is timely, given that new technologies in the field are leading to cleaner, safer and more efficient energy production.

"Nuclear energy has evolved since it was last seriously considered in Australia," Mr O’Brien said.

"This inquiry will provide the opportunity to establish whether nuclear energy would be feasible and suitable for Australia in the future, taking into account both expert opinions and community views.

"The committee looks forward to receiving and carefully considering all perspectives on its terms of reference."

The committee will look at the necessary circumstances and requirements for any future government’s consideration of nuclear energy generation, including using small modular reactor technologies.

The committee will consider a range of matters including waste management, health and safety, environmental impacts, energy affordability and reliability, economic feasibility and workforce capability, security implications, community engagement and national consensus.

Submissions to the inquiry will be accepted until September 16, 2019. The committee intends to hold public hearings at various locations, which will be announced in due course on the inquiry website.

Submissions must address the inquiry’s terms of reference, which are available along with details on how to make a submission on the inquiry website.

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