THE National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) will return to give further evidence to the Indigenous Affairs Committee in a joint hearing this Thursday as part of its inquiry into pathways and participation opportunities for First Nations peoples in employment and business.

Committee chair, Julian Leeser MP, noted that both departments play a key role in supporting Indigenous people into work.

"DESE is responsible for managing employment service provision through Jobactive, while NIAA administers the Community Development Program (CDP) and Vocational Training and Employment Centres (VTEC)," Mr Lesser said.

"The Committee looks forward to discussing these programs, in addition to Indigenous procurement and the tendering processes for Indigenous employment services," Mr Leeser said. ​

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 27 May 2021
Time: 11.40am to 12.25pm AEDT

A live audio stream of the hearing will be accessible at https://www.aph.gov.au/Watch_Read_Listen.

A full program will be available at the inquiry website.

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THE CFMEU has come out this week applauding the Victorian Government’s announcement to grant a stamp duty exemption on inner city residential developments amongst other property sector stimulus measures.

The announcement means no stamp duty will be paid on new residential property worth up to $1 million in the Melbourne local government area, and concessions of up to 100 percent on stamp duty if the property has been unsold for more than 12 months, for contracts entered from May 21, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Melbourne city’s construction sector has been decimated by the pandemic, with only one new development beginning in construction in the last year. Many other developments with council approval to begin have been put on hold, according to the CFMEU

The vast majority of large scale commercial construction projects occurring in the city had all began pre pandemic, without these economic stimulus measures announced by the budget, there would be no work for the thousands of construction workers to move to once these projects conclude.

The CFMEU feared up to 18,000 jobs could have been lost by 2023.

Victorian state secretary of the CFMEU Construction and General Division, John Setka said while borrowing is cheap and investment in the property market around the world is still strong, this policy provided "an incredible opportunity for home buyers, investors, and the Victorian economy".

"We’re encouraged that the Victorian Government continue to recognise the strength of the construction industry and the important role we all play in driving and generating major employment and economic growth for our state," he said.

“With very few developments beginning since the pandemic, the industry was beginning to lay off workers. Stamp duty exemptions are a much needed economic stimulus measure for the entire Victorian economy.

“City based construction workers play a hugely important role in our state’s economy. The stamp duty exemption will play an important role in guaranteeing the jobs of thousands of construction jobs," Mr Setka said.

“Melbourne City’s construction sector took a major hit during COVID, and it’s still yet to recover. Thursday’s announcement is a lifeline for industry, home buyers and construction workers.”

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THE House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee will discuss ways to harness the development of new technologies and mariculture methods in order to grow the aquaculture sector in Australia.

The Committee will speak to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) this Thursday in the first public hearing for its inquiry into the Australian aquaculture sector. Witnesses will appear via videoconference.

Committee chair, Rick Wilson MP, said AIMS is the national authority on tropical marine science and has conducted ground-breaking research into coral reef restoration.

This has the potential to stimulate new opportunities for the aquaculture sector and provide meaningful employment in regional areas.

"Research and innovation are vital to ensuring the ongoing viability of aquaculture enterprises," Mr Wilson said. 

For further information, please visit the inquiry website.

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review into the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020.

The bill review was referred to the Committee by the Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs.

The Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020 amends both the Migration Act 1958 and the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. The Bill amends the Migration Act to protect disclosure of confidential information provided by gazetted intelligence and law enforcement agencies where the information is used for decisions made to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds, or revoke or set aside such decisions (Protected Information).

The Bill amends the Migration Act to introduce a Protected Information framework, which will:

• provide that the High Court, the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (the Federal Circuit Court) may order the Minister to produce or give in evidence Protected Information where the Court is satisfied that it is Protected Information and the production of it is for the purposes of substantive proceedings related to a decision to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds, or revoke or set aside such a decision.

The Bill also amends the Citizenship Act to introduce provisions in order to protect Protected Information where the information is used for decision such as:

• decisions to refuse to approve an application for citizenship;
• to cease a person’s Australian citizenship if the person has engaged in specified conduct;
• to make a determination by the Minister to cease a person’s Australian citizenship if the person has been convicted of a specified offence (and sentenced to at least three years’ imprisonment); renunciations of citizenship by conduct; and,
• cessation of citizenship for service outside Australia in armed forces of an enemy country or a declared terrorist organisation.

Chair of the Committee, Senator James Paterson said, "The Committee will be interested to hear from various government and non-government submitters on the importance of protecting certain information as well as the balance between such protection and transparent government.”

The Committee requests submissions to the inquiry by 4pm, Friday, June 25, 2021.

Prospective submitters are 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 the following link.

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