THE Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs is travelling to the Northern Territory next week to hear from key stakeholders on the impacts of sunsetting the Stronger Futures legislation.

Hearings will be held across both Darwin and Alice Springs with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, local community groups and government agencies.

Committee Chair Senator Patrick Dodson said, "The committee looks forward to gaining new and important insights into the issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as they prepare for and live with this significant legislative change."

"It is vital that we speak to grass roots organisations working in these NT communities to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they are confronting around safety, alcohol management, employment, and the justice system," Senator Dodson said. "The committee is also keen to learn whether there is effective communication with policymakers on ideas and possible solutions to these issues."

The hearing programs for December 7-9 are available online.

For more information about this committee and its inquiry, including the terms of reference and instructions on making a submission, visit the inquiry webpage.

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THE HOUSE Health Committee has released an issues paper as part of its inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections. This issues paper, which is not the final inquiry report, aims to update the public on what the Committee has heard since commencing its inquiry in September 2022.

Chair of the committee, Mike Freelander MP said, "The evidence the Committee has received so far has revealed some interesting emerging themes, including the absence of a clear, established and nationally consistent definition of long COVID in Australia as well as the lack of reliable and consistent available data.

"We have also heard about the possible causes, management and treatment of long COVID and possible ways to reduce the risk of developing long COVID. The committee is looking forward to unpacking these issues in more detail as we hold more public hearings in the new year," Dr Freelander said.

The deputy chair of the committee, Melissa McIntosh MP said,"The committee thanks all members of the public and organisations who have made submissions, and witnesses who appeared at our first public hearing in October 2022. In particular, the committee appreciates the contributions from many stakeholders who have shared their lived experience of long COVID and repeated COVID infections."

While submissions to the inquiry closed on November 18, 2022, individuals and organisations wishing to make a late submission should contact the secretariat by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference and published submissions are available on the Committee’s website.

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PARTICIPANTS AND PROVIDERS of the ParentsNext program will appear before the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services in upcoming public hearings.

They will be joined by advocacy bodies and human rights organisations discussing the program’s impacts on Tuesday,  December 6 in Melbourne and Wednesday, December 7 in Sydney.

The committee will also visit ParentsNext sites in and around those cities to gain further insights from participants and to hear directly from frontline staff.

Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP, said, “No-one is better placed to speak to the benefits and harms of ParentsNext than the parents and carers who have lived experience of this controversial program. The Committee is looking forward to hearing from them directly, as well as from frontline service providers who best know the challenges and issues in implementing the program on the ground.”

Submissions on ParentsNext can be made via the committee’s website. The committee has undertaken to make recommendations relating to ParentsNext by the end of February 2023.

Further information about the inquiry, including terms of reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, will be available on the inquiry website.

Public hearing details

6 December 2022

Time               11.30am–1.45pm AEDT (Melbourne Time)

Location         Seminar Room 1, Monash Conference Centre, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne

Witnesses      

National Council of Single Mothers and their Children

Council of Single Mothers and their Children

Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare

Australian Council of Social Service

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7 December 2022

Time               1.30pm–4.45pm AEDT (Sydney time)

Location         Corinthian Room, Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney

Witnesses      

ParentsNext participants

Australian Human Rights Commission                       

Domestic Violence New South Wales  

Campbell Page

OCTEC      

Metro Assist

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

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A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE inquiry will hear from frontline health professionals about treating long COVID and its effect on the health system.

The public hearing will be held on Monday, December 5, 2022 at Liverpool Hospital in South West Sydney as part of the House Health Committee’s inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections.

Chair of the Committee, Mike Freelander MP, said, "The hearing will be an opportunity to hear from frontline health professionals about how our health system is managing long COVID, and their experience supporting patients with repeated COVID infections during some of the toughest days of the pandemic."

Deputy Chair of the Committee, Melissa McIntosh MP, said, "The committee is looking forward to hearing from hospitals, research organisations and other healthcare workers about what they have learned so far about long COVID and repeated COVID infections based on their observations while treating COVID-positive patients both during their infection and in the months after."

The committee intends to hold more public hearings in due course. While submissions to the inquiry closed on November 18, individuals and organisations wanting to make a late submission have been advised to contact the secretariat by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference and published submissions are available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Monday, 5 December 2022
Time: 9am (AEDT) to 4.40pm (AEDT)
Location: Liverpool Hospital Education and Research Centre, Hospital Eastern Campus

Program:
9.00am–9.50am: Nepean Hospital
9.50am–10.40am: Westmead Hospital
10.40am–11.00am: Break
11.00am–11.50am: The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
11.50am–12.40pm: Liverpool Hospital
12.40pm–1.30pm: Break
1.30pm–2.20pm: Campbelltown Hospital
2.20pm–3.00pm: Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research
3.00pm–3.20pm: Break
3.20pm–4.00pm: Dr Kenneth McCroary, Macarthur General Practice
4.00pm–4.40pm: Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation
4.40pm: Close

Audio of the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has tabled a report into two major treaties: the Agreement between Australia and Japan concerning the Facilitation of Reciprocal Access and Cooperation between the Australian Defence Force and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan (Australia-Japan RAA), and the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education (Global Convention).

The Committee has recommended the Australian Government ratify both treaties.

Committee chair, Josh Wilson MP said, “The Australia-Japan RAA builds on the long-standing defence relationship between Australia and Japan, and would both simplify and strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries in the context of a deteriorating strategic environment.

“The Australia-Japan RAA deals comprehensively with the entry and departure of the Visiting Force and Civilian Component, their movement and operation within the territory of each Party, command and control, and matters of criminal jurisdiction and claims."

The issue of the death penalty that applies in Japan for certain offences was examined by the committee. It found that while blanket immunity for Australian personnel serving in Japan was not achieved, considerable steps had been taken to protect personnel from the risk of being subject to the death penalty, while also maintaining Australia’s international obligations.

The Committee recognised the importance of Australia’s principled position opposing the death penalty, as set out in Australia’s whole-of-government strategy for the abolition of the death penalty.

Regarding the Global Convention, Mr Wilson said, “The Global Convention establishes universal principles and processes for the recognition of studies and qualifications, and the right of individuals to have their foreign qualifications assessed in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner.

“The Global Convention would provide a framework for the recognition of Australian qualifications internationally, and the recognition of overseas qualifications in Australia, and in so doing would potentially have significant benefits for Australia’s education sector."

The committee agreed that in a highly competitive international marketplace, the Global Convention would add value to Australian qualifications and help to attract skilled professionals. Importantly, Australian decision makers would retain full autonomy with regard to which overseas qualifications would be recognised and how that would occur.

The report can be found on the Committee website, along with further information on the inquiry.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport has today launched an inquiry into the implications of severe weather events on the national regional, rural, and remote road network.

Chair of the committee, Luke Gosling OAM, MP, said, "The inquiry will look at road engineering and construction standards to strengthen road resiliency against natural disasters, including the critical role of climate change trends and data to inform infrastructure standards.

"The committee is concerned about the increasing deterioration of the nation’s road network, particularly in regional, rural, and remote areas. The extreme flooding events and other natural disasters across the nation have impacted many Australians, and the Committee is seeking to understand how road planning and construction may be improved to enhance road climate resiliency and support our communities."

Mr Gosling said the committee was seeking written submissions, ideally of no more than 10 pages, from organisations and individuals providing recommendations relating to any or all of the inquiry terms of reference by February 28, 2023.

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

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A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry will hear how the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA’s) management of radiofrequency spectrum may impact on regional mobile phone coverage.

The House Communications and the Arts Committee will hear how ACMA oversees more than 170,000 commercial, government and individual licensees operating in Australia at a public hearing today (November 30) for its parliamentary inquiry into co‑investment in regional mobile carrier infrastructure.

Spectrum is a key input for the delivery of wireless broadband (fixed and mobile), satellite and broadcasting services, according to ACMA. With relevant spectrum capable of providing national coverage currently licensed to each of the three mobile carriers, ACMA’s submission to the inquiry states that spectrum availability and access is not a current barrier to terrestrial mobile network expansion.

Committee Chair, Brian Mitchell MP, outlined the Committee will be seeking ACMA’s views on access to spectrum if co-investment looms as the best tool to encourage multiple telecommunications providers in regional areas to invest in and share ‘multi-carrier’ mobile towers to improve the range and reliability of their services.

Public hearing
Witness: Australian Communications and Media Authority
Time and date: 12:40pm AEDT November 30
Location: Committee Room 1R6 Parliament House Canberra

The inquiry’s terms of reference and information about the Committee may be found on the Committee’s webpage.

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THE IMPORTANCE of strengthening the electoral processes of Australia’s regional neighbours will be examined this week at a public hearing held by the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT).

The subcommittee will hear from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) in relation to its inquiry into supporting democracy in the region. Chair of the subcommittee, Josh Burns MP, said the Subcommittee "looks forward to hearing from International IDEA, an intergovernmental organisation that supports sustainable democracy around the world".

"Electoral assistance is one element that the subcommittee will focus on throughout this inquiry," Mr Burns said "The subcommittee will use this opportunity to identify how best to support our neighbours in promoting strong electoral processes and, as a result, encouraging democratic participation."

Submissions to this inquiry close on Friday, December 16, 2022. Submissions should be lodged online using a My Parliament account. Further information in relation to the inquiry is available on the inquiry website.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 1 December 2022
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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