TODAY, the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will conduct its fifth and final public hearing for its inquiry into Australia’s response to the priorities of Pacific Islands and countries in the Pacific.

The committee will today hear evidence from Pacific civil society representatives across the region. It will also hear from officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to discuss some of the key findings of the inquiry.

Chair of the subcommittee, Josh Burns MP, said, “In this, the final public hearing, the committee will have a further opportunity to consider the ways in which Australia engages in the Pacific and identify opportunities for improvement.

“We are particularly excited to be hearing today directly from civil society representatives across the Pacific region and look forward to the insights they bring.”

Further information, including the hearing program is available on the Inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Monday, 14 October 2024
10am – 12:30pm (AEDT)
Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

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

ends

THE latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released today highlights the urgent reality of dementia in Australia, revealing dementia is set to become the nation’s leading cause of death, according to Dementia Australia.

In 2023, dementia accounted for 9.1 percent of all deaths, closely following ischaemic heart disease at 9.2 percent. Dementia remains the leading cause of death for Australian women, representing 12.2 percent of all female deaths and 6.4 percent of male deaths.

The figures also show that dementia is now the leading cause of death in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and, for the first time, New South Wales.

Dementia Australia CEO Tanya Buchanan said, given there was no cure for dementia and poor community understanding of the terminal nature of the disease, the ABS data reinforces the urgent need for a public health approach to reducing – or preventing – the risk of developing dementia.

“This call is backed by the 2024 update of the Lancet Commission on the prevention, treatment, and care of dementia, which reports that almost half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed,” Professor Buchanan said.

“There are currently an estimated 421,000 Australians living with dementia and without a significant intervention, this number is expected to increase to more than 812,500 by 2054.

“As dementia edges closer to becoming the leading cause of death of Australians, it is crucial that we act now to focus on the brain health of the nation as well as provide more targeted, effective support to those impacted by dementia. Taking this dual approach will ensure we are working towards reducing the impact of dementia in the future.

“Australians currently impacted by dementia can access support now by contacting the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education and services for the estimated more than 421,000 Australians living with dementia, and the more than 1.6 million people involved in their care. The organisation advocates for positive change and supports vital research. Dementia Australia supports people impacted by dementia, to enable them to live as well as possible.

www.dementia.org.au

ends

THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced an inquiry into the Cyber Security Legislative Package consisting of the Cyber Security Bill 2024, the Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Response and Prevention) Bill 2024 and the Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Bill 2024.

The Cyber Security Legislative Package intends to implement seven initiatives under the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, which aims to address legislative gaps to bring Australia in line with international best practice and help ensure Australia is on track to become a global leader in cyber security. These measures are intended to address gaps in current legislation to:

• mandate minimum cyber security standards for smart devices;
• introduce mandatory ransomware reporting for certain businesses to report ransom payments;
• introduce ‘limited use’ obligations for the National Cyber Security Coordinator and the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD); and
• establish a Cyber Incident Review Board.

The package also intends to progress and implement reforms to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act). These reforms are intended to:

• clarify existing obligations in relation to systems holding business critical data;
• enhance government assistance measures to better manage the impacts of all hazards incidents on critical infrastructure;
• simplify information sharing across industry and government;
• introduce a power for the government to direct entities to address serious deficiencies within their risk management programs; and
• align regulation for the security of telecommunications into the SOCI Act.

Senator Raff Ciccone, newly elected Chair of the PJCIS, said, “Cyber security and protection of critical infrastructure are essential components of Australia’s national security. This review will aim to ensure the new legislative package will operate as effectively and reasonably as possible in response to ever increasing cyber threats. The Committee looks forward to engaging with a range of government, civil society and corporate submitters.”

Submissions to the inquiry are invited by Friday, October 25, 2024.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

ends

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts is holding a public hearing tomorrow for its inquiry into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry, focussing on insurance in the sector.

Since March 2024 the committee has been investigating the current state-of-play within the Australian live music environment. The committee has heard that the impact of escalating business costs in the sector — including, but not solely, increasing impediments and costs in obtaining business and event insurance cover — have posed significant challenges.

Tomorrow’s hearing will take further evidence from submitters and previous witnesses, the Insurance Council of Australia and the Australian Live Music Business Council who have each considered ways to assist the sector with respect to insurance coverage. The committee will also meet with an Australian insurance broker, H2 Insurance Solutions, which specialises in offering insurance products to the Australian live music sector.

Additionally, the committee is interested to learn more about the organisation model and activities undertaken by Statewide Mutual. The Mutual body was created in 1993 to help reduce the risk profiles of activities undertaken by member NSW local governments and to obtain best value insurance coverage.

Committee Chair, Brian Mitchell MP, said, "There has been a perfect storm of escalating costs and compliance for venues and events; higher chances of negative weather impacts; changing audience behaviour and alternative entertainment options. Additionally, digitisation of music and the streaming of it, whilst offering greater choice, has, through algorithms, narrowed audience music selection. This has affected artists’ secondary income streams and reduced the discoverability of new artists.

"The committee is looking to find some practical ways of assisting the sector in a manner which helps it to be self-sustainable in a new music consumption paradigm," Mr Mitchell said.

Details of the public hearing are below, with the full program and terms of reference available on the inquiry webpage.

More information about the committee, including membership, may be found on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 11 October 2024
Time: 9am – ~12 midday
Location: Committee Room 1S4, Parliament House, Canberra

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

ends