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Voice Referendum Committee commences public hearings

THE Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum began its program of public hearings on Friday in Canberra.

At its first hearing the committee heard evidence from representatives of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process, Thomas Mayor and Kerry O’Brien, Robert French AC, and panels of eminent legal witnesses.

The committee is inquiring into the provisions of the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 (Bill), introduced to the House by Mark Dreyfus MP, Attorney-General on March 30, 2023.

Committee Chair Senator Nita Green said, "The committee will be interested to focus its discussion on the question of whether the legislative provisions achieve what is intended and give effect to the government’s stated objectives before it moves to a referendum."

"The committee looks forward to the contributions received from witnesses as it moves to regional centres and back to Canberra for its hearings."

Programs for public hearings will be published on the Committees website as they are confirmed. The dates and locations are:

  1. Date: Friday, 14 April 2023Location: Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra
  2. Date: Monday, 17 April 2023Location: Council Chambers, Orange
  3. Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2023Location: Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Cairns
  4. Date: Friday, 28 April 2023Location: Venue TBC, Perth
  5. Date: Monday, 1 May 2023Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Submissions are requested by COB Friday 21, April 2023. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link.

The committee intends to hold public hearings. The dates and locations of hearings will be decided shortly and published as soon as possible.

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

 

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Audit Committee examines findings of the Watt procurement review and NDIA issues in the Commonwealth Financial Statements

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) held a public hearing on Friday, April 14, to examine the findings of the Independent Review of Services Australia and NDIA Procurement and Contracting, led by Ian Watt AC (the Watt review), as part of its ongoing inquiry into Commonwealth procurement.

The Watt review examined 95 procurements undertaken by Services Australia and NDIA from 2015–16 to the present, and found that 19 procurements with an approximate value of $374 million showed inconsistencies with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules or did not show good practice.

Julian Hill MP, the Chair of the Committee, noted that Dr Watt’s findings closely mirrored the issues that had been raised by the Australian National Audit Office during the committee’s procurement inquiry.

“The Watt review flagged five of the 95 procurements as being of lower standard than comparable procurements undertaken by the agencies,” Mr Hill said. “The committee is keen to question the key parties involved in the procurement process to gain an understanding of where the issues lie and how they have been addressed.”

The committee heard from Dr Watt AC, followed by the two agencies subject of the review, as well as representatives from a number of companies who were awarded contracts identified as being of particular concern in the Watt review including Infosys Pty Ltd, Portland, Synergy 360 / Milo Consulting and Australian Property Reserve Pty Ltd.

Following the session on procurement, the JCPAA will continue its program of public hearings for its inquiry into Commonwealth Financial Statements hearing from the NDIA.

Friday's hearings were held in Canberra.

Further information about the inquiries is available on the Committee website.

 

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Deeper dive into Australia’s international education sector

THE Trade Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold public hearings for its Inquiry into Australia’s tourism and international education sectors on April 18 and 19, 2023.

The subcommittee will hear evidence from university and vocational and education training (VET) peak bodies, student accommodation, education agents and sector professional bodies about sector recovery and future growth.

Trade Subcommittee Chair, Senator Deborah O’Neill said, "The Melbourne public hearings will progress the inquiry’s focus into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for international education.

"These hearings are a chance for the committee to engage with sector leaders on the lessons from COVID-19 and how to apply those to Australia’s international education continued recovery and growth."

Further information about the inquiry and program, are available on the inquiry webpage.

Public hearings details

Melbourne

Day One

Date: Tuesday, 18 April 2023Venue: Davui Room, G1, 55 St Andrews Place, East MelbourneTime: 8:30am – 5:15pm (AEST)

Day Two

Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2023Venue: Davui Room, G1, 55 St Andrews Place, East MelbourneTime: 8:30am – 12:30pm (AEST)

The hearing will also be live streamed on the APH website: aph.gov.au/live.

 

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Human rights, women’s safety stakeholders to give evidence to inquiry on women and children’s rights

THE Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) Human Rights Subcommittee will hear from human rights advocates and women’s safety stakeholders in a public hearing to be held today (12 April 2023) in Camperdown, Sydney.

Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee, Maria Vamvakinou MP said, "We have recently heard evidence detailing the increase of human rights abuses of women and children in recent years, including the prevalence of acid attacks, rape as a weapon of war, and orphanage trafficking.

"After hearing from government agencies recently, the committee is eager to hear from those working in the sector to learn what they’re seeing and what can be done."

Ms Vamvakinou said the Subcommittee intended to hold additional hearings in coming months to support its work on the inquiry.

Submissions to the inquiry were due by Friday, December 16, 2022; however, late submissions may be considered. Submissions containing graphic material will not be accepted to the inquiry. Submissions should be lodged online using a My Parliament account.

Further information in relation to the inquiry is available from the JSCFADT’s website.

Hearing details

Time: 9.15am to 1.15pm (AEDT)​Venue: Auditorium, F23 Administration Building, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW

 

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Public hearing on National Redress Scheme

 THE Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme will be holding a public hearing tomorrow for an inquiry into the National Redress Scheme.

Commencing at 10:15am, the committee will hear evidence from Knowmore Legal Services, Tuart Place and the Department of Social Services.

The program is available on the committee’s website.

The inquiry is looking into a range of areas, including:

  • The experience of First Nations applicants and applicants with disability in their dealings with the Scheme.
  • Accessibility, performance and effectiveness of support services and legal advice for survivors and their advocates.

The committee is continuing to accept submissions from interested individuals and organisations on the inquiry’s terms of reference on the committee’s website.

A discussion paper, an easy English guide and a short video about the inquiry is available on Facebook or YouTube

Public hearing details

Wednesday 12 April 202310:15am to around 12:45pm (Canberra time)Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be audio and video streamed at aph.gov.au/live 

 

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