First public hearing today: Inquiry into Pacific Priorities

TODAY, the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will conduct its first public hearing for its inquiry into Australia’s response to the priorities of Pacific Islands and countries in the Pacific.

During the full day public hearing, the subcommittee will hear evidence from diplomatic and regional representatives of Pacific Island countries, international development agencies, and Australian Government agencies including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Defence, the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Chair of the Subcommittee, Josh Burns MP, said, "We are excited to kick off this inquiry by hearing from a range of voices and delving deeper into some of the issues that have been raised in submissions, including climate change and aid and development.

“This is not the first inquiry into the Pacific and it won’t be the last. That’s because Australia is part of the Pacific, we have a shared past and a shared future," Mr Burns said.

"As the focus of this inquiry is Australia’s response to the priorities of the Pacific, the subcommittee is eager to use this first hearing to explore the Australian Government’s understanding of, and programs to support, those priorities.”

Further information, including the hearing program is available on the Inquiry webpage.

Public Hearing Details

Date: Friday 16 August 2024
9:45am – 3:30pm (AEDT)
Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

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

 

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