THE Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold public hearings for its Inquiry into the role of Australia’s international development program in preventing conflicton Wednesday, June 17 and Thursday, June 18.

Chair of the Subcommittee, Tim Watts MP, said, "The subcommittee continues to take evidence on how Australia’s development program supports peace and stability in our region. We are looking forward to hearing more from stakeholders about where the challenges and solutions lie, and how Australia can strengthen its approach to conflict prevention in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The disproportionate impacts of conflict on women will be examined. This includes gender-based violence and inequality, and the critical roles that women play, both in supporting their communities during crises and in conflict prevention," Mr Watts said.

The subcommittee will hear evidence over two days from international and Australian non‑government organisations, researchers, academics and development practitioners with experience in conflict‑affected settings.

The subcommittee expects to hold further hearings in late June and early July.

Further information, including the full terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Wednesday 17 June 2026
Time: 1pm–4.30pm (AEST)
Venue: Virtual/Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

Program: https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?hearingid=32367&submissions=false

Friday 18 June 2026
Time: 9.30am–11.30am (AEST)
Venue: Virtual/Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra

Program: https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?hearingid=32440&submissions=false

Both hearings will be broadcast live (audio only) at aph.gov.au/live.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science will hold site visits and a public hearing in Brisbane this week as part of its inquiry into the current state of the Australian tyre industry, and any challenges and opportunities for the industry within the context of a circular economy.

Committee Chair, Rob Mitchell MP, said, "The committee is looking forward to getting back on the road to speak with businesses across the Australian tyre industry working towards more sustainable outcomes.

"On Thursday, June 11, the committee will visit tyre recycling and retreading facilities across the greater Brisbane region.

"The following day, on Friday, June 12, we will hear from a broad range of tyre industry stakeholders, including collectors, manufacturers, importers and distributors. Among the witnesses giving evidence at this public hearing is Bridgestone Australia, a major tyre importer and manufacturer of retreaded truck tyres in Australia."

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry webpage.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 12 June 2026
Time: 9:15 am – 2:15 pm (AEST)
Location: Committee Room 2, Parliament House, Cnr George and Alice Streets, Brisbane, Queensland

Public hearings are broadcast live on the Australian Parliament House Streaming Portal.

More information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, submissions and transcripts of previous hearings, is available on the inquiry webpage.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport will hold hearings with over 30 witnesses across the state of Queensland this week as part of its inquiry into local government funding.

The committee wants to better understand the funding challenges faced by local government across Queensland, particularly those councils that are providing services and infrastructure to regional and rural Australians.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips MP, said, “The committee is looking forward to learning more about the fiscal sustainability of local government across the state of Queensland, the challenges that councils are facing, and the opportunities for enhancing services and infrastructure.”

Hearings will begin in Townsville on Wednesday June 10 where the committee will hear from the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils and the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils. A range of individual regional councils will also appear, including the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council and the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, alongside Regional Development Australia (RDA) Tropical North.

The committee will then travel to Roma for hearings on Thursday June 11 to hear from the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils and the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils. The Queensland Farmers’ Federation and the Royal Flying Doctors Service (Queensland Section) will also appear to provide an alternative perspective on local government in the area.

The committee then travels to Brisbane on Friday June 12 to hear from a range of council, associations and organisations. This includes the Local Government Association of Queensland, the Queensland Local Government Grants Commission and the Services Union.

Programs for each public hearing are available on the inquiry webpage.

Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Time: 9am – 3.30pm
Location: Grand Chancellor Hotel, Castle Hill Room, 334 Flinders Street, Townsville

Date: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Time: 9am – 2.50pm
Location: U3A – Senior Citizens Building, 53 Bungil St, Roma, Queensland

Date: Friday, 12 June 2026
Time: 9am – 3.15pm
Location: Queensland Parliament, Committee Room 1, Cnr George and Alice Streets, Brisbane

Public hearings are broadcast live on the Australian Parliament House Streaming Portal.

Details for upcoming public hearings and more information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, submissions and transcripts of previous hearings, is available on the inquiry webpage.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education is calling for submissions to its inquiry into the factors driving educational attainment.

The inquiry will examine a wide range of issues that influence educational outcomes, including gender differences, cultural and linguistic diversity, and socio-economic status. It aims to identify practical, evidence-based strategies to improve educational outcomes for all learners throughout the course of the education journey.

Committee Chair, Tim Watts MP said, "Educational attainment has a profound impact on individuals, communities, and the broader economy. We want to hear directly from parents and students, school communities, educators, and experts about what is working well and where improvements are needed.

"Submissions are a vital part of the inquiry process. They help us understand the issues and ensure that recommendations are informed by evidence and real-world experience," Mr Watts said.

The committee said it would welcome submissions by Friday, June 12, 2026. Submissions should ideally be no longer than 10 pages and may address some or all of the inquiry terms of reference.

More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on making a submission, can be found on the inquiry website.

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THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP, today launched the Department of the House of Representatives’ My First Speech competition.

The competition's positioning statement tells it straight: 'Imagine yourself as a newly elected member of the House of Representatives. You have Parliament’s attention. What will you say?'

This national competition invites students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to envision themselves as newly elected members of the House of Representatives and write a three-minute speech that focusses on a topic they’re passionate about.

One winning entrant from each year group will win an expenses-paid trip to Canberra to present their speech at Parliament House to the Speaker and guests, as well as a prize pack valued at $250.

“One of my key priorities as Speaker has been to promote parliamentary education to students across the country, and this is yet another exciting way that young people can take an active role in our democratic system," Mr Dick said.

“This competition will provide high school students with the chance learn more about the way our nation’s democracy works, and how actively engaging with the parliamentary process can draw attention to the issues that are most important to them.”

Entries to the My First Speech competition are open now and close at 11.59pm AEST on Monday July 20, 2026. For information and entry submission, visit the website: www.aph.gov.au/mfs

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The inquiry was referred to the committee on November 27 last year by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth MP.

At its public hearing the committee will explore how minimum worker entitlements are operating in practice across different sectors and workforce groups. The committee will hear from industrial relations specialists, legal experts and sector representatives.

Committee Chair, Carina Garland MP, said the hearing would help the committee test the detail of proposals and evidence put forward during the inquiry to date.

"The committee is seeking to identify practical solutions, to ensure workers’ minimum entitlements remain clear, reflective of the evolving nature of work, and aligned with the intent of the Fair Work Act," Dr Garland said. "We encourage organisations with relevant expertise or a strong interest in these issues to contact the Committee about appearing at a future hearing on 30 July."

The committee will hear evidence from:

• Chifley Research Centre
• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Indigenous Allied Health Australia
• Holding Redlich
• The Australian HR Institute
• Australian Council of Trade Unions
• Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association
• Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union
• Australian Services Union
• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation

Further information is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday 10 June 2026
Time: 9:30am to 3.40 pm
Location: Legislative Council Committee Room, Parliament of Victoria, Melbourne

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Members of the public interested in attending the hearing in person should advise the secretariat by June 7, to facilitate building access.

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THE Housing Industry Association (HIA) has today called for the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026 to be referred to a parliamentary committee "for thorough review and proper scrutiny, after the Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives with no prior consultation with industry,” according to HIA senior executive director for compliance and workplace relations, Stuart Collins.

“This Bill is being sold as a modest administrative tidy-up of the Fair Work Commission. It is not," Mr Collins said.

“It contains wide-ranging reforms with significant implications for the residential construction industry, procurement frameworks, workforce costs and the capacity of builders to deliver the homes Australians need.

“The Federal Government is making a bad habit of tabling substantial workplace relations reforms with no notice, no industry engagement and no consideration of cumulative impact," Mr Collins said.

“This is particularly concerning given the large number of legislative reviews currently underway that will impose future workplace relations reforms. HIA’s immediate concerns with this Bill are numerous.

“The Bill effectively fast-tracks the Commonwealth’s Secure Australian Jobs Code, which is still in the consultation and development phase and for which industry raised numerous concerns," he said.

“Further, while the reforms in the Bill are presented as routine, the practical effect is to entrench enterprise bargaining as the only workplace arrangement the government views as legitimate.

“The Bill also proposes to loosen the threshold requirements for unfair dismissal and general protections applications before the Fair Work Commission. Lowering the evidentiary bar for applications will increase the volume of speculative claims and drive-up compliance and legal costs for small businesses.

“HIA is also concerned about the Bill’s changes to the high-income threshold for road transport contractors, granting a specially carved-out threshold to allow access to Fair Work protections in one industry alone. If extended to construction, the ramifications for project costs and workforce management would be severe," he said.

“HIA is not opposed to practical workplace relations reform, but we are opposed to reform that is rushed, opaque, and designed without input from those who will carry its costs most, being the small and medium-sized businesses.

“The government has an ambitious housing supply target. Every piece of policy that increases cost, uncertainty or administrative burden on residential builders moves that target further out of reach.

“HIA calls for this Bill to be referred to a parliamentary committee for proper scrutiny, with meaningful timeframes for industry and community feedback and public hearings. This should also be deferred until the findings and government responses to other concurrent reviews currently underway have been handed down. The residential building sector deserves nothing less,” Mr Collins said.

www.hia.com.au

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TODAY, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works released an updated version of the committee’s 'Procedure Manual’.

The committee’s Procedure Manual is an official Parliamentary document that provides guidance to Commonwealth Government entities required to engage with the committee to gain approval for applicable proposed public works.

The Procedure Manual outlines the committee’s functions and responsibilities and the processes that need to be followed for the referral of major works, and the notification and approval of ‘Medium Works’.

The procedures outlined in the Procedure Manual are mandatory, and relevant entities must comply with these when planning applicable proposed public works projects.

The latest version of the Procedure Manual, Edition 9.7, includes technical changes in compliance with the regulatory requirements of the Department of Finance, updated language to more accurately reflect current committee and Parliamentary practices, and revised guidance around the expected per-square-metre cost for office fit-out projects that account for the inflationary impacts of recent years and reflect current market rates.

These updates also reinforce the stated expectations of the committee regarding entity requirements to seek the best value for money options when considering projects, as well as the requirement to engage with the committee at the earliest possible opportunity and to factor in flexibility regarding timing and processes for referrals.

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

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