THE new Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence (PJCD) has started its work in examining Defence policy, capability development, and administration and expenditure, with an emphasis on long‑term effectiveness and strategic outcomes.

At its first meeting on May 12, the committee elected Senator Deborah O’Neill as Chair and Senator Dave Sharma as Deputy Chair.

Senator Deborah O’Neill said she…

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold public hearings in Sydney and Dubbo as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.

On Monday, May 18,  the committee will hear from a range of stakeholders, including mining and mineral processing companies, local…

THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has today presented its report on its Review of the listing of Hizb ut‑Tahrir as a prohibited hate group under the Criminal Code, backing the Federal Government's decision to list Hizb ut-Tahrir as a prohibited hate group.

The PJCIS found the organisation has advocated conduct constituting hate crimes against…

THE Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs has extended the submission deadline to Monday, June 1, for its inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The decision has been made by the committee due to significant community interest in the inquiry and requests from the community to have more time to make a…

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) will be holding a hearing on Friday, May 15, for its inquiry into the administration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Committee Chair Josh Burns MP said, "The effective administration of the NDIS is central to compliance with the NDIS claim requirements and to its financial sustainability. It is of great interest to the…

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training will hold a public hearing in Canberra on Friday, May 15, as part of its inquiry into the operation and adequacy of the National Employment Standards (NES).

The inquiry was referred to the Committee on November 27, 2025, by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth…

THE Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold a public hearing as part of its Inquiry into the role of Australia’s international development program in preventing conflict.

The subcommittee will continue its examination of how Australia’s development cooperation contributes to conflict prevention and stability,…

ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander people have been invited to share their experiences of engaging with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as part of a national review underway.

Tax Ombudsman, Ruth Owen, the independent watchdog of the ATO and tax system, has released her terms of reference outlining the scope and significance of this review – the first of its kind.

The Tax Ombudsman met…

TOMORROW, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works (the committee) will conduct a site inspection at National Research Cyclotron Facility (NRCF) at Camperdown, Sydney, and shortly after question officials from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation about the proposed works at the site.

The proposed works will deliver the decommissioning and demolition of the NRCF…