THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will convene a series of public hearings next week in support of its inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.

The hearings will be held in Melbourne on October 28 and 29, and in Brisbane on October 30.

Committee Chair, Mike Freelander MP, said the inquiry had attracted significant public interest since commencing in August.

"The committee has received a large number of written submissions highlighting several crucial issues, including the stigma preventing early intervention, links between substance use and domestic violence, and opportunities for better service integration," Dr Freelander said.

"We are looking forward to exploring these issues in greater depth during our public hearings."

The hearings will be attended by representatives of peak bodies specialising in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) treatment, leading Australian researchers and clinicians, and government and non-government AOD service providers.

Public hearings

Date: Monday, 28 October 2024
Time: 11.30am – 3.45pm AEDT
Location: Mantra on Russell, Melbourne

Date: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Time: 8.45am – 2.15pm AEDT
Location: Mantra on Russell, Melbourne

Date: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Time: 10.30am – 4pm AEST
Location: Queensland Parliament House, Brisbane

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live audio stream of the hearings will also be available on the APH website.

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TO ENSURE appropriate standards of professional and ethical conduct in the tax profession are upheld, the regulator for tax practitioners, the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB), today released draft policy guidance for public consultation.

The draft policy guidance seeks to assist tax practitioners understand the new obligations in the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024 (Determination) and the TPB is seeking tax practitioner and stakeholder feedback to help shape the final version of the following draft guidance:

• Upholding and promoting the ethical standards of the tax profession (TPB(I) D56/2024);
• False or misleading statements (TPB(I) D57/2024);
• Managing conflicts of interest when undertaking activities for government and maintaining confidentiality in dealings with government (TPB(I) D58/2024);
• Obligation to keep proper client records of tax agent services provided (TPB(I) D59/2024);
• Supervision, competency and quality management under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 (TPB(I) D60/2024);
• Keeping your clients informed (TPB(I) D61/2024).

In releasing these draft information sheets, TPB chair, Peter de Cure welcomed stakeholder feedback from the community, tax practitioners and relevant professional associations.

Mr de Cure said, "Our practical guidance supports the majority of tax practitioners doing the right thing. At the same time, improved tax practitioner standards will help address false or misleading tax statements associated with tax avoidance and fraud.

"This draft guidance supports trust in the tax profession, covering a range of practical issues to ensure competent services, supported by quality management systems and improved client transparency.

"‘In developing the draft guidance we held two roundtable discussions with professional bodies and consumer groups, seeking their initial views," Mr de Cure said. "Recognising the key role professional associations have in the co-regulation of tax practitioners, their engagement and practical insights has been invaluable in informing and improving our draft guidance.

"We look forward to expanding our consultation processes and continuing to work closely with all stakeholders and the tax profession. This will ensure the final guidance is practical and supports tax practitioners."

For most tax practitioners the new ethical requirements apply from July 1, 2025. The exception being larger firms, with 100 or more staff, who will need to comply from January 1, 2025.

The TPB encourages all stakeholders to share their views on its draft policy guidance and tax practitioners and other stakeholders can make a written submission. They can also provide feedback by participating in the TPB's series of Code Determination webinars or responding via their professional association.

As part of finalising the guidance in December 2024, the TPB will also be issuing complementary material, such as factsheets and website content, to assist tax practitioners understand the new requirements.

The TPB has updated the Frequently asked questions on the new Code obligations, published on its website, to address some common queries about the determination.

Comments invited

The TPB invites comments on all six draft information sheets by November 21, 2024. Submissions for each can be sent by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to Tax Practitioners Board, GPO Box 1620, Sydney NSW 2001.

The TPB will consider all submissions received before finalising its position.

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THE newly established House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy will kick start its public hearing program in Canberra today. The parliamentary committee has been established to inquire into and report on the consideration of nuclear power generation in Australia.

The committee will hear from Federal Government departments including the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW); the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR); the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Department of Defence, and government agencies including the Australia Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), among others.

Committee Chair, Dan Repacholi MP, the Federal Member for Hunter, said, "The committee is looking forward to opening its public hearing program with a day of ‘scene setting’ evidence from government departments and agencies who play a role in federal nuclear energy policy and legislation in Australia. The committee hopes this will provide an opportunity for a productive discussion of the fundamental issues around nuclear power generation in Australia.”

Mr Repacholi explained the committee intends to hear from communities across Australia that would be impacted by the Opposition’s nuclear energy plan. In the coming weeks and months, the committee will also call on a broad range of experts to explore the financial, environmental, technical, and legal implications of developing nuclear energy in Australia, among other issues.

The hearing can be accessed online. Programs for all hearings and further information about the inquiry,  including the inquiry terms of reference are available on the committee’s website.

The Committee on Nuclear Energy is seeking submissions by Friday, November 15.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Time: 9am to 5:15pm (AEDT) (approximately)
Location: Main Committee Room (MCR), Australian Parliament House, Canberra.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will hold public hearings by videoconference on Friday, October 25 with representatives of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The hearings are for the committee’s reviews of the APRA Annual Report 2023 and ASIC Annual Report 2023. The public hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

The committee’s Chair, Daniel Mulino MP, said that both regulators had given valuable evidence to the committee’s recent inquiries into flood insurance and economic dynamism, and the committee looked forward to exploring other important areas of their work.

“ASIC and APRA have crucial responsibilities supporting the stability and vitality of Australia’s markets and financial system,” he said.

“Both regulators have broad remits – particularly ASIC – and their performance has a huge impact on commerce and personal finance in this country. It is appropriate that they face regular parliamentary scrutiny, and this committee’s reviews of their annual reports are a part of that.”

More information about the reviews and upcoming public hearings are available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing details

APRA

Date: 25 October 2024
Time: 9am to 11am
Location: Videoconference

ASIC

Date: 25 October 2024
Time: 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Location: Videoconference

The public hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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