THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced its review into the operation, effectiveness and implications of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2018.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme was introduced in 2018 with the purpose of bringing transparency to activities undertaken on behalf of foreign principals, particularly where those activities are intended to influence Australian political and governmental systems and processes. The Scheme also imposes obligations on former politicians and senior officials, and criminal penalties apply to those who fail to comply with the requirements of the Scheme.

The Committee requests submissions to the inquiry by Monday, November 29, 2021.

Prospective submitters are being advised that any submission to the committee’s inquiry must be prepared solely for the inquiry and should not be published prior to being accepted by the committee.

Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at this link.

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

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THE EMOTIONAL toll of reopening a business, only to have it close due to another lockdown, is adding to the stress of employers who are uncertain of what the future holds for them.

Victoria is now in its sixth lockdown - the third since the end of May. While the recently announced small business relief package is helping some financially, it’s the mental health of employers that is feeling the true impact of repeated lockdowns.

Employsure, an Australia workplace relations advisor, has seen an increase in calls to its employer advice line over the past three months from employers concerned on how restrictions are impacting their business.

“We’ve seen a dramatic 67 percent rise in mental and physical health and safety related calls over this time period from employers struggling to hold their business together, even with the financial support they’re receiving,” Employsure employment relations specialist Nicholas Hackenberg said.

“There’s also been a similar 66 percent increase in calls related to employee absence, a 26 percent rise in entitlement queries, as well as a sharp rise in terminations from heartbroken employers who simply can no longer afford to keep their staff on their books.

“Employers across the state have now been placed into a world of uncertainty for a sixth time and will again sadly be feeling the all too familiar sense of anxiety and stress.”

Employers over the coming days should plan for the worst and hope for the best, according to Mr Hackenberg. He said going into cash preservation mode could be more important now than ever before, especially in a post-JobKeeper world. Employers need to assess what costs can be fairly cut, and make changes to protect their cash flow. They should also consider their options for retaining, standing down, or making staff redundant during the lockdown.

Those working from home will also be feeling the pinch of lockdown, Mr Hackenberg said.

To support staff, employers should regularly check in on them to identify any issues that might impede their work, he said. Because everyday encounters with colleagues do not happen spontaneously with those working from home, employers should urge their employees to reach out to their peers to maintain a social connection.

Staying connected not only helps reduce stress and the feeling of isolation but it can boost productivity. It also helps employees communicate with their manager and team to keep them informed of what project they are working on.

To keep better track of employees, business owners should use employee management software such as BrightHR to manage sickness, rosters, work locations and all other sensitive information and documents, he suggested.

“Some businesses are resilient and managed to effectively pivot operations where applicable. For others however, a sixth lockdown could be the final nail in the coffin,” Mr Hackenberg said.

“The cost of running a business is far greater than what financial support could ever offer. While lockdowns are needed until our vaccination rate improves, unfortunately we’re going to see more unnecessary closures from emotionally drained employers who simply can no longer cope.”

www.employsure.com.au

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THE House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention has announced the dates for its August public hearings with a range of health and allied health stakeholders. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, these hearings will be held via videoconference.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday 6 August 2021
Time: 9am to 2:40pm AEST

Date: Thursday 12 August 2021
Time: 10am to 12pm AEST

The public hearing programs will be available on the Committee website. Due to the public hearings being held by videoconference, public access will be available via the live broadcast at aph.gov.au/live.

The committee is unable to intervene or provide advice in relation to individual circumstances.

People in need of help should contact one of the services below:

A MAJOR environmental project on Christmas Island and a National Collections Building in Canberra will be reviewed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works when it conducts two public hearings into the two separate projects on Friday, August 6, 2021.

The first hearing will scrutinise a $28.9 million proposal from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, to install fit-for-purpose stormwater, landslide and rockfall mitigation works on Christmas Island.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 6 August 2021
Time: 10am to 11am (AEST)
Location: via teleconference

The second hearing will consider the $70 million proposal from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to construct a new fit-for-purpose National Collections Building at the Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park in the ACT.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 6 August 2021
Time: 2.30pm to 3.25pm (AEST)
Location: via teleconference

Both hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is not involved in the tendering process, awarding of contracts or details of the proposed works. Inquiries on these matters should be addressed to the relevant Commonwealth entities.