THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) is holding public hearings this Thursday and Friday.

These public hearings include:

1. The CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) appearing as part of the procurement at Services Australia and the National Disability Insurance Agency inquiry.
2. The Secretary of the Department of Health is appearing for the inquiry into probity and ethics in the Australian public sector.
3. The first public hearings kicking off the new policy and program design and implementation inquiry.

Chair of the Committee, Julian Hill MP, highlighted the importance of starting the year strongly with the examination of the agencies involved in the current committee inquiries.

“The committee was concerned by evidence received last year in a public hearing with vendor Salesforce regarding procurement at the NDIA arising from the Watt Review," Mr Hill said. "The CEO of the NDIA will appear so the committee can examine issues arising, to the extent possible, while further internal investigations continue.

“The Secretary of the Department of Health will appear to explore issues arising from the Department of Health’s earlier appearance in 2023, and the subsequent hearing with the Australian Government Solicitor.

“The committee will kick-off public hearings in the program and policy design implementation inquiry to investigate serious findings across the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Home Affairs, Treasury, Agriculture, Education and Health and Aged Care to understand the larger issues at play.”

For context, these first public hearings for the policy and program design and implementation inquiry will include:

Thursday

• A roundtable with the ATO, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of Treasury will appear to examine the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report No. 39 of 2022–23 Implementation of the Government Response to the Black Economy Taskforce report.
• The Department of Home Affairs will appear to discuss the ANAO report No. 16 of 2022–23 Management of Migration to Australia—Family Migration Program report.

Friday

• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will appear to examine the following reports:​
  • ANAO report No. 6 of 2022–23 Implementation of the Export Control Legislative Framework report; and
  • ANAO report No. 17 of 2022–23 Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s cultural reform report.
• The Department of Education will appear to examine the ANAO report No. 42 of 2022–23 Access and Participation Programs for Regional and Remote Students report.
• The Department of Health and Aged Care will appear to examine the ANAO report No. 10 of 2022–23 Expansion of Telehealth Services report.

Public hearing details

Date:              Thursday 1 February 2024
Time:             1pm–5pm (AEDT)
Venue:           Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Date:              Friday 2 February 2024
Time:              9.15am–3pm (AEDT)
Venue:           Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water has commenced an inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Chair of the Committee, Tony Zappia MP, said, "Australian motorists are increasingly choosing EVs when purchasing a new car. The percentage of EVs sold is growing every year, moving to 7.2 percent of all new cars sold in 2023 up from less than 3 percent in 2022. The inquiry will consider the necessary resources, systems and infrastructure for this transition and the impacts of moving away from traditional vehicles.

‘The committee will also explore opportunities such as fuel savings and affordability for residents in outer regions to make this shift beneficial for everyone. Our focus will also be on the future of EV battery manufacturing, and we will consider challenges on electricity consumption and demand and our limited EV supply compared to other countries," Mr Zappia said.

The committee is seeking written submissions providing recommendations relating to any or all of the inquiry terms of reference by Friday, March 22, 2024.

The committee will examine:

• the establishment of resources, systems and infrastructure required to support transition to EVs;
• the impact of moving from internal combustion engine vehicles, including fuel excise loss, existing auto industry component manufacturers and the environment;
• the opportunities for fuel savings, such as by combining EVs with other consumer energy technologies and savings for outer suburban and regional motorists;
• the impact on electricity consumption and demand;
• the opportunities for expanding EV battery manufacturing, recycling, disposal and safety, and other opportunities for Australia in the automotive value chain to support the ongoing maintenance of EVs;
• the impact of Australia’s limited EV supply compared to peer countries; and
• any other relevant matters.

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry is available on the inquiry webpage.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport has today tabled the report for its inquiry into the implications of severe weather events on the national regional, rural, and remote road network.

Chair of the Committee, Luke Gosling OAM, MP, said, "The severe weather events over the past few years have taken a tremendous toll on our road network and our nation. The unprecedented scale and intensity of floods, torrential downpours, and bushfires have caused catastrophic damage to our road infrastructure, exposing its vulnerability against severe weather events and a changing climate.

"Our communities and supply chain networks are heavily reliant upon a safe and functional road network to ensure connectivity and access to health and other essential services, food, fuel, and other resources. We have reached the crossroads of changing climate risks, socio-economic growth, and long-term resilience."

The 26 recommendations made by the committee complement the Australian Government’s announcement to double the Roads to Recovery Program funding over the next four years and aim to build nationally resilient road infrastructure including:

• collaboration across all levels of government to develop road asset infrastructure resilience guidelines, planning and investment frameworks, and address existing road asset data gaps;
• engagement across all levels of government, the scientific community, and industry to revise national road design and construction standards and incorporate innovative and recycled road materials and technologies;
• a review of local government funding allocation to support asset maintenance works under the Australian Government’s Infrastructure Investment Program;
• consider the distribution of local government Financial Assistance Grant program road component funding;
• an assessment of betterment access and claims approvals under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements; and
• embedding resilience design and construction procurement requirements under the new Federation Funding Agreements on transport infrastructure.

Further information in relation to the inquiry and a full list of its recommendations is available from the Committee’s website.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has commenced an inquiry into the Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2023 (ART Bill) and the Administrative Review Tribunal (Consequential and Transitional Provisions No.1) Bill 2023 (Consequential and Transitional Bill).

Chair of the committee, Susan Templeman MP said, "The committee is seeking written submissions by 18 January 2024 to assist in its scrutiny of the ART Bill and Consequential and Transitional Bill to ensure the bills achieve the Government’s policy objectives and do not have unintended consequences, but will accept submissions after that date."

The ART Bill would establish the Administrative Review Tribunal (Tribunal) and set out its key features, processes and procedures. The Consequential and Transitional Bill repeals the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, makes consequential amendments to a number of Commonwealth Acts and provides for the transition of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal’s (AAT) operations, caseload and staff to the Tribunal. The Bills are intended to, among other things:

• provide for a mechanism of review that is fair and just; timely, informal and inexpensive; accessible and responsive; improve the transparency and quality of government decision-making and improve public trust and confidence in the tribunal;
• re-establish the Administrative Review Council;
• retain the jurisdiction of the AAT within the tribunal and essential modifications to the operation of the merits review framework;
• promote consistency and simplicity by repealing special arrangements that overlap, duplicate or unnecessarily displace core provisions of the ART Bill.

The bills would implement all three recommendations of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the performance and integrity of Australia’s administrative review system, four recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme and two recommendations of the Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia's Visa System.

Further information about the inquiry is available on the Committee's webpage.

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