THE 2025 edition of the national My First Speech competition for year 10, 11 and 12 students, run out of the Hosue of Representatives in Canberra, is open and now accepting submissions.

The My First Speech competition seeks to engage young Australians in democracy and speak about the issues that are important to them.

Students are asked to write a 90-second speech on a topic they are passionate about, as if they are making their first speech in the House of Representatives.

A winner from each year group will be selected and flown to Canberra with a parent or guardian, where they get to deliver their speech at Parliament House. Winners will also meet Members of Parliament, tour Parliament House, and learn more about the democratic process.

A panel of judges, which includes Members and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP, will choose the winner from each year group.

Entries close at 11.59pm (AEST) on 1September 15, 2025. More details can be found on the My First Speech website at: My First Speech Competition – Make your first speech.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in now inviting submissions to its inquiry into the 2025 Federal Election.

In keeping with previous parliaments, the committee has been asked to undertake a review of the last federal election.

Jerome Laxale MP, Committee Chair, said, ‘The inquiry plays an important role in ensuring the Australian public have their say in how their elections are run.

"We have one of the oldest and most respected democracies on earth. Keeping that standard requires ongoing scrutiny."

Matters widely reported during the 2025 election raise serious questions about safety, security and voter experience. Voters, volunteers and officials should never feel intimidated, harassed or have such an experience that they are discouraged from participating at future elections.’

The terms of reference of the inquiry call on the committee to focus its attention on the following emerging issues:

• assessment and review of the purported increase in incidents of aggressive conduct, deliberate obstruction, and intimidating behaviour towards voters, political participants, volunteers, and Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) officials;
• potential reform of safety and security arrangements, including consideration of the powers, processes, and capacity of the AEC to manage and address increasingly threatening or disruptive behaviour;
• reforms to address the ongoing threats of interference in our electoral system, both foreign and domestic; and
• the composition of the Parliament as a whole; including the length of the parliamentary term, the potential for fixed terms, and the number of elected representatives relative to the growth in population and the electorate.

The full terms of reference for the inquiry are also available on the inquiry webpage.

Submissions addressing any or all of the terms of reference are now invited, prior to the committee commencing public hearings in mid-October.

The committee will further announce its program of public hearings as the inquiry progresses. All relevant information will be available from the committee website.

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THE Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sports and the Arts’ (the Department) Proposed Fit-out of New Leased Premises at 7 London Circuit, Canberra City will be reviewed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works at a public hearing on September 4, 2025.

The proposed works to install an office fit-out to the department’s new leased premises at 7 London Circuit are proposed on a short timeframe to meet leasing requirements with a total estimated cost of $32.5 million.

Tony Zappia MP, Chair of the Committee, said, ‘The public hearing will provide the committee with an opportunity to consider the stated purpose, need and value for money of the proposed works.

"The hearing is taking place before the close of the public submission period to allow for the committee to consider the works in the most expeditious fashion to reduce any further cost to the Commonwealth from delays to the process."

The committee will hear from relevant officers from the department at the public hearing. Interested members of the public are encouraged to listen in to the public hearing via the APH website.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 4 September 2025
Time: 7:50am – 8:20am (AEST)
Location: Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra

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

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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THE Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has adopted a new inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24. This will resume the inquiry commenced by the committee prior to the 2025 federal election.

Chair of the Defence Subcommittee, Senator Deborah O’Neill, said, "During the last Parliament, the subcommittee received many submissions addressing the inquiry, particularly relating to Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities. Given the importance of the issues, the committee intends to complete the inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24 in the early stages of this new Parliamentary term."

Key themes of the inquiry’s focus include:

• Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities;
• Defence Estate, Security and Resilience;
• AUKUS;
• Uncrewed/Autonomous Systems and their integration into the Joint Force;
• Progress on the transformation to an integrated focused force;
• Australian international defence cooperation and competition;
• Other issues as communicated to Defence.

Submissions and evidence related to this inquiry that were received by the committee in the 47th Parliament have been made available to the new committee. This means that submissions related to this inquiry that have already been provided to the committee do not need to be re-submitted.

The Subcommittee is now inviting written submissions by Friday, October 10, 2025.

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