THE Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has condemned new and unexpected Federal Government regulations that force people seeking asylum to pay $1,863.50 upfront to challenge a protection visa refusal, warning "the changes will create yet another barrier to safety for some of the most marginalised people in Australia".

The changes, which came into effect on November 1, require people seeking an independent review of a protection visa refusal by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) to pay the fee before their application can proceed. The fee applies regardless of a person's financial circumstances.

Deputy CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Jana Favero said "people who have fled war, persecution and violence seeking safety in our community, will now be expected to find more than $1,800 simply to challenge a bureaucratic decision that could determine whether they are returned to danger. 

She said women fleeing domestic, family and gender-based violence, people who have survived torture and trauma, and families struggling to put food on the table and pay for basic medicines are among those who could be prevented from accessing an independent review because they cannot afford the fee.

For people already forced into poverty and destitution, she said, finding $1,863.50 to exercise their right to challenge a protection decision will be impossible, particularly when they must also find legal assistance and prepare a complex application, all within the strict 28-day deadline to seek review.

The Administrative Review Tribunal exists to provide an independent and accessible mechanism for people to challenge bureaucratic decisions and hold decision-makers accountable. The new regulations undermine that fundamental purpose by making access to review dependent on a person's financial resources.

The Federal Government has justified the changes as a measure to discourage people from exploiting the protection visa system to prolong their stay in Australia. However, the ASRC has warned that this approach "once again targets people who are vulnerable to exploitation, rather than those who profit from exploiting them".

The ASRC is calling on the Federal Government to immediately reverse the upfront fee requirement and ensure that every person seeking protection has access to a fair and independent review, regardless of their financial circumstances.

"Every day at the ASRC, we see people skipping meals, going without essential medication and struggling to feed their children because they've been forced into poverty and destitution by a system that is stacked against them," Ms Favero said. "The government now expects families seeking asylum to come up with $1,863 just to challenge a decision that could see them returned to persecution or violence.

‘’There are a range of reasons why people’s claims are not recognised initially, perhaps the department got it wrong or people need time to clearly express and unpack the worst moments in their lives," Ms Favero said. "Having the ability to challenge a flawed decision that is fundamental to their safety shouldn’t come at a prohibitive financial cost.

"Nobody's right to challenge a government decision that could put their life in danger should depend on how much money they have in their bank account.

“You cannot fix a broken system by punishing people trapped in it. We have put forward a range of fair alternatives to reform the migration system. However, yet again those in power are targeting people in our community with the least rights.”

www.asrc.org.au

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THE  House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hold public hearings for its inquiry into the factors driving educational attainment on November 2 and 10.

The hearings will explore how educational attainment is defined, measured and influenced by children's early experiences and development. Leading experts in education and child development, education research and policy, and parents’ groups will help the Committee better understand what is meant by educational attainment and the measures currently used to assess educational outcomes.

Committee Chair, Tim Watts MP, said the hearings would provide important context for the inquiry's examination of the drivers of educational attainment.

"Educational attainment is a term that is widely used, but it can mean different things in different contexts," Mr Watts said. "We want to better understand how attainment is measured, what those measures capture, and the factors that influence outcomes throughout a student's educational journey.

"The committee looks forward to hearing from experts and stakeholders whose evidence will contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing learning outcomes from the earliest years of life through to school subject choices and career pathways," he said.

Public hearing

Date: Monday, 2 November 2026
Time: 10.30am – 4.15pm
Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

Date: Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Time: 10.30am – 3.15pm
Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

There will be a live audio only broadcast of the hearing via the Australian Parliament House website and YouTube.

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence has commenced a review of the Defence Legislation Amendment (Accelerating Capability and Protecting Bases) Bill 2026.

Committee Chair, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, "In recent decades, defence capability development has become increasingly complex, involving advanced technologies and collaboration across a range of sectors and jurisdictions.

"This Bill introduces important legislative reforms that support Defence to build capability faster and protect it more effectively. The reforms are intended to ensure Australia’s Defence legislation supports current and future capability requirements under the National Defence Strategy."

The Bill would amend the Defence Act 1903 to establish a Defence Capability Framework to support capability development and preparedness activities conducted in Australia. The framework would operate through capability declarations to enable specified capability development and preparedness activities.

It would also provide a single statutory mechanism for supporting complex capability activities between Defence and its industry and international partners.

The Bill would also establish a Defence Security Zone Framework to protect Defence personnel, activities, information and capability wherever Defence operates. The proposed framework provides for permanent, temporary, mobile or emergency Defence security zones, allowing for tailored security protections.

It would also consolidate fragmented arrangements and provide common powers, safeguards, offences and oversight mechanisms, and empower Defence to respond to emerging threats from uncrewed systems.

Additionally, the Bill contains safeguards to expand the roles of the committee and the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force to include oversight of the operation of the proposed Defence Capability Framework and Defence Security Zone Framework.

Additional information on the review is available on the committee’s website.

The committee has invited submissions addressing the Bill by Tuesday, November 3.

Submissions should be prepared solely for this review and should not be published prior to being accepted by the committee.

Further information about making a submission can be found on the Parliament House website.

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THE House Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisationswill hold its final public hearings for the inquiry into cyber security for small to medium sized businesses and organisations on Monday, November 2 and Wednesday, November 4.

“As we come to the end of the public hearing program, a clear message has emerged from witnesses: cyber security support should be actionable, targeted and accessible for small and medium sized businesses and organisations,” Committee Chair Sally Sitou MP said.

“The remaining hearings will continue to examine how Australia’s small to medium sized businesses and organisations can be better supported by the Australian Government, with a focus on the different needs across sectors.

“We’ll meet with representatives from the insurance, telecommunications, health, education, early childcare, finance, legal and IT sectors.”

Detailed programs for the hearings will be available on the committee’swebsite, the hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Monday 2 November 2026
Time: 10am – 2:30pm (AEDT)
Location: Virtual

Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Time: 11:30am – 2:30pm (AEDT)
Location: Virtual

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