THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will hold a public hearing with the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Michele Bullock, and other senior RBA officials, on Monday, September 22.

The Economics Committee in the 48^th Parliament is continuing its biannual hearings.

"The hearings with the RBA have been an important mechanism to provide parliamentary scrutiny of the RBA," Committee Chair, Ed Husic MP said.

"As inflation continues to ease – and with recent cuts to interest rates here and abroad – now is a critical time for us to hear from the RBA about its views on the likely shaping of future monetary policy.

"It will also be the first hearing by the Economics Committee since the implementation of separate monetary policy and governance boards at the RBA."

Public hearing details

Date: Monday, September 22, 2025
Time: 11am – 2pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP is taking Parliament on the road, delivering his Parliament in Schools program and Australian Parliament House (APH) National Flag Roadshow across Brisbane schools this week in partnership with local Federal Members.

Students will receive a classroom education session, followed by a practical hands-on session, delivering a once in a lifetime experience.

The Parliament in Schools program is delivered in a classroom environment, utilising Parliamentary Education Office resources, teaching students about federation, democracy and the Australian Parliament. Students have the opportunity to hear first-hand from the Speaker and their local member on what a typical day looks like in their electorate and when they are in Parliament House for sitting weeks.

The APH National Flag Roadshow will teach students about the history and importance of our National Flag, finishing the program by furling the 12.8m x 6.4m APH National Flag on their school oval.

On Wednesday September 17, the Speaker will visited Silkstone State School, with the Federal Member for Blair, the Shayne Neumann MP; Goodna State School; and Springfield Lakes State School.

On Thursday September 18, the Speaker will visit Wellers Hill State School, with the Federal Member for Moreton, Julie-Anne Campbell MP; and Gumdale State School, with the Federal Member for Bonner, Kara Cook MP.

On Friday September 19, the Speaker will visit Coorparoo State School, with the Federal Member for Griffith, Renee Coffey MP; and Brisbane Central State School, with the Federal Member for Brisbane, Madonna Jarrett MP.

"My civics programs are multi-partisan initiatives to make civics education accessible to students regardless of their location," Mr Dick said.

"As Speaker of the House of Representatives, I recommit to uplifting civics education and knowledge across this country, and this starts with our youngest generation. This term I am committing to visiting all 150 electorates across the country.

"Not all students will get the opportunity to travel all the way to Canberra. This is why I am taking these programs on the road and bringing it to them," he said.

"Last parliament I visited over 160 schools across over 70 electorates – from King Island to Far North Queensland to Nullagine.

"These students are our future leaders, and it is important that we equip them with the information and tools they need, to go on to be active and engaged citizens.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories will hold its first public hearing with the National Capital Authority (NCA) as the committee’s biannual briefings recommence in the 48^th Parliament. 

Biannual briefings with the NCA have been held regularly since 2009 and contribute to the committee’s understanding of the role of the NCA in planning, promoting and maintaining the nation’s capital.

Committee Chair Alicia Payne MP said, “As Canberra continues to grow and evolve, these public hearings offer a timely opportunity to engage with the NCA on the decisions shaping our national capital’s future.

“The committee values the transparency and accountability these sessions bring, and we look forward to exploring both the opportunities and challenges facing the NCA," Ms Payne said.

Members of the public can attend and observe the proceedings of this public hearing. Audio of the hearing will also be webcast live on the Australian Parliament’s website.

Further information about the biannual public briefings, including those held in previous Parliaments, can be found on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Time: 11:30am – 1pm
Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House Canberra and via audio link.

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) has requested that an independent post-election review of the operations of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) be undertaken and that this should be conducted externally.

Committee Chair Josh Burns MP said, "One of the JCPAA’s legislative responsibilities is to consider whether the operations of the PBO should be reviewed following a Federal Election, and to determine the scope and nature of that review. The committee agrees that an external review of the PBO’s effectiveness would be timely."

The committee has directed that Martin Parkinson AC PSM be engaged to conduct this work. The terms of reference include the effectiveness and efficiency of the PBO, the appropriateness of its mandate, resourcing and service demand levels, stakeholder feedback, and the impact of PBO’s outputs in public policy debates.

Mr Burns further said, "The PBO performs vital costings and budgetary analysis, among other services, to Parliamentarians and thereby the Australian public. The committee wishes to ensure that the PBO can continue to effectively fulfil this important mandate into the future."

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