MEMBERS of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) have reinforced the strong ties between Australia and New Zealand on intelligence and security issues during a visit to New Zealand on August 14 and 15.

The PJCIS delegation was led by Committee Chair, Peter Khalil MP, and included  PJCIS members Andrew Hastie MP, Senator James Paterson and Senator Marielle Smith. At the committee’s invitation, the delegation was joined by the Director-General National Intelligence, Andrew Shearer; and the Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Kerri Hartland.

The delegation met with various members of the New Zealand Government and opposition, parliamentary representatives and intelligence leaders, including: Minister for Defence Andrew Little; Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon; Deputy Opposition Leader Nicola Willis; Opposition spokesperson for Defence and Veterans Tim Van de Molen; the heads of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and National Assessments Bureau (NAB); senior leaders of the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Defence Secretary Andrew Bridgeman; the Vice Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies; and representatives from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Committee Chair and delegation leader, Mr Khalil, said the visit focused on enhancing the already strong relationship and coordination between Australia and New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific. Discussions focused on further strengthening collaboration as active partners across the Pacific.

"The visit follows the release of a series of important national security statements by the New Zealand government. Australia and New Zealand are more closely aligned than ever before on the Indo-Pacific security environment," Mr Khalil said.

ends

THE Australian Taxation Office has corrected the record on the fraudulent losses discovered after its Operation Protego.

In a statment issued today, an ATO spokesperson said:

"This fraud did not cost the tax office $4.6 billion as reported in the AFR (Australian Financial Review) this morning.

"In our Annual Report to June 2022 we reported a cost of $1.2 billion at that time.

"We became aware of an increase in referrals from banks in late 2021 which escalated in early 2022. We took immediate action.

"There has been extensive ATO reporting of the impact of this fraud since Operation Protego was launched in April 2022 (Operation Protego publicly announced May 2022, first raids announced June 2022, further raids announced July 2022, crackdown on promoters Feb 2023, arrest activity August 2023).

"As a result, we have prioritised and taken compliance action against more than 56,000 perpetrators.

"In addition, working with Serious Financial Crime Taskforce and law enforcement agencies, more than 100 suspected perpetrators have been arrested, including members of outlaw motorcycle gangs, organised criminal organisations, and youth crime gangs – and more than 10 people have already been convicted for their involvement in this activity.

"We continue to address this fraud with the full force of the ATO. Since the reporting in our 2022 Annual Report, we have raised in the order of a further $700 million in liabilities, which includes around $300 million in penalties and interest.

"As previously stated by Deputy Commissioner Will Day, we have stopped $2.7 billion being paid to fraudsters. We continue to pursue those who have committed this fraud and collect debts which attract penalties and interest.

"We also continue to monitor for any tax agents facilitating clients to participate in this fraud. We expect that any tax or BAS agent that becomes aware of a client that has participated in fraud to notify the ATO immediately.

"This was an unprecedented threat proliferated via social media and is now contained."

ends

ADDRESSING human rights violations with practical and measurable solutions will be the focus of the Human Rights Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) during its public hearing on Friday,  August 11, in Australian Parliament House.

The subcommittee’s final hearing for the Inquiry into the Rights of Women and Children will discuss potential measures to improve the human rights of women and children globally with stakeholders such as non-government organisations and Australian Government agencies.

Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee, Maria Vamvakinou MP, Member for Calwell, said, "Throughout this inquiry, the subcommittee has heard evidence about the types and scale of harm being perpetrated against women and children globally. Our final hearing will focus on how the Australian Government can make a practical and measurable difference to the lives of women and children. My fellow subcommittee members and I look forward to discussing potential pathways forward with key stakeholders and experts.”

The subcommittee may accept submissions until the final report is tabled in the Parliament. Submissions containing graphic material will not be accepted to the inquiry. Submissions should be lodged online using a My Parliament account.

Further information in relation to the inquiry is available from the JSCFADT’s website.

Hearing details

Time:            1.30pm to 5pm (AEST)
Venue:         Committee Room 2R1, Australian Parliament House, Canberra
Witnesses: Save the Children
                        Associate Professor Hannah McGlade
                        Harmony Alliance (Social Policy Group)
                        Australian Human Rights Commission
                        Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

ends

A CONSIDERATION of how best to address workforce shortages in the health care sector will be a focus of the next public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said, "We will be speaking to a range of organisations involved in the provision of health care. Most have made submissions to the inquiry, and we will be exploring with them issues encompassing the attraction and retention of doctors, nurses and other skilled migrants in the sector; the inflexibility, cost and complexity of the existing visa system; and the particular challenges facing those providing health care in rural and remote communities."

The committee will also consider opportunities to make better use of migrant skills, including those who arrive as humanitarian entrants.

"We need to address the underutilisation of the skills of migrants who come to build their lives in our society, and particularly the ways in which they can be better supported to maximise their contribution to our nation," Ms Vamvakinou said.

At the hearing, the committee will take the opportunity to further explore broader challenges in the migration system with the Migration Institute of Australia and the work of their members in providing advice to migrants.

This will be followed by a discussion with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and their regulatory role in both protecting migrants who require immigration advice and in ensuring the integrity of the migration advice industry.

The full hearing program is available on the inquiry website.

Hearing details

Monday, 14 August 2023 – 10am to 4.20pm – Videoconference.

ends

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has launched a new inquiry into the effectiveness of policy and program planning, design and implementation in meeting government objectives.

This inquiry will consider the issues captured in six recent reports of the Auditor-General that have evaluated different policies and programs delivered by a variety of Commonwealth agencies:

• No. 6 (2022-23) Implementation of the Export Control Legislative Framework, particularly chapter 4 on performance monitoring and reporting
• No. 10 (2022-23) Expansion of Telehealth Services
• No. 16 (2022-23) Management of Migration to Australia — Family Migration Program
• No. 17 (2022-23) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s cultural reform
• No. 39 (2022–23) Implementation of the government response to the Black Economy Taskforce
• No.42 (2022–23) Access and Participation Programs for Regional and Remote Students.

The terms of reference for the inquiry can be found at the inquiry website.

Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP, said, "Policy development and program design are core business for the Australian Public Service (APS) in fulfilling its role in advising Ministers and governments and implementing new laws and policies.

“The APS does some terrific work in policy development but there are clearly areas for improvement. The committee invites submissions from anyone with an interest in how policy formulation and implementation can be improved.

“This inquiry is also timely given the increasing complexity of the challenges that Australian policymakers are grappling with. The committee looks forward to having robust discussions with a range of Commonwealth entities and experts.”

The committee invites submissions to the inquiry addressing the terms of reference to be received by Friday, September 22, 2023.

Details of the inquiry including upcoming public hearings will be made available on the inquiry website.

ends

THE Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth has launched an inquiry into the approach adopted by the Australian Government when negotiating trade and investment agreements.

The inquiry will focus on how the Australian Government develops a negotiating mandate and framework that reflects whole of government priorities, as well as priorities for State and Territory Governments, businesses and workers, including processes for consultation. It will also consider how to ensure agreements advance Australia’s national and cultural interests, and that First Nations Australians can participate and benefit in trade.

Committee Chair, Steve Georganas MP said, “Trade agreements serve an important role in creating well-paid, secure jobs, improving our economic resilience and increasing the living standards for Australians.

“The committee wants to hear from businesses, workers, industry associations and other interested parties from across the community to understand how the approach taken to negotiating trade and investment agreements could be improved to ensure these agreements are of greatest benefit to the Australian community.”

The  committee is seeking submissions from interested individuals, businesses and organisations on the inquiry’s terms of reference by Friday, September 22, 2023.

Further information about the inquiry, including published submissions and hearing transcripts, will be available on the inquiry webpage.

ends

JOB MATCHING platform SEEK, the Business Council of Australia, academic and policy experts, and members of the youth advocacy and entrepreneurship sectors will appear before the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services at a public hearing in Canberra on Friday, August 11.

The hearing will focus on how the employment services system should support and work with employers, entrepreneurs, and younger people.

Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP, said, “Employment services have failed to meet the needs of employers. Nowhere is this clearer than in the fact that while employers across Australia are crying out for staff, there are now more long-term unemployed people than before the pandemic.

“Mounting evidence suggests the system has a distorted and perverted focus on supply, and not enough on demand. Or in plain English, case managers are too tied up policing unemployed people without enough focus on working with employers and matching people to actual jobs.

“The committee is all ears, keen to hear ideas for reforms to Australia’s employment services system which could boost demand-led solutions, facilitating more effective workforce planning, recruitment, and lasting employment outcomes.

“We are also interested to listen and learn more about SEEK’s submission—which suggests government is unnecessarily duplicating services—and SEEK’s proposal for change.

“Youth specialist services are important and any reforms must consider the unique needs of younger jobseekers and how they engage with services.”

Further information about the inquiry, including Terms of Reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, is available on the inquiry website.

Public hearing details

Date                11 August 2023
Time               12.45pm – 5.00pm
Location       Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra           
Witnesses   SEEK Ltd
                           Dr Ann Nevile
                           Business Council of Australia
                           Australian Entrepreneurs Alliance
                           Paul Ramsay Foundation
                           Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

A live audio broadcast of the hearing will be available via the Parliament’s Watch, Read, Listen website.

ends

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water will hold a public hearing for its inquiry into plastic pollution in Australia’s oceans and waterways in Canberra on Friday, August 11.

The hearing on Friday will hear from representatives from the retail and manufacturing sectors, not-for-profit sectors and the government. The evidence will build on evidence previously heard by the committee when it held hearings and inspected a range of sites around Australia in late June.

Chair of the Committee, Tony Zappia MP said, "The committee looks forward to hearing from groups such as the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Beverage Council, who will be able to provide a design and manufacturing perspective on plastic pollution.

“The committee is concerned to hear that Australia is expected to increase its level of plastic consumption, and groups such as WWF Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society have provided a range of recommendations which the committee will explore in more detail at the hearing.” Mr Zappia said. 

The program for Friday’s hearing is:

Interested parties can view or listen to the proceedings on the Parliament of Australia website.

Further information about the committee’s inquiry, including terms of reference and submissions received is available on its website.

ends