FOLLOWING a referral by Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers MP, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will open an inquiry into the use of technology to assist in improving Australian productivity.

Like many advanced economies, Australia has sought for decades to find the best way to boost productivity.

The development and application of new technology is often offered up as a pathway to improved productivity.

Despite extraordinary advances in digital technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing and communications, productivity growth across many advanced economies has stubbornly remained below expectations.

Committee Chair Ed Husic MP said, "Lifting Australia’s productivity is critical to growing the economy and improving Australian living standards well into the future.

"While we proudly point to our own tech trail-blazers or the “first-mover” eagerness of Australians to adopt and use new technology, that hasn’t always translated into stronger productivity,” he said.

“We want this inquiry to move beyond the “tech can improve productivity” mantra, to explore the specifics of how we can do that best.

“We’ll examine how we can better develop and improve uptake of productive technologies across different economic sectors.

"This inquiry’s focus is to look at a broad scope of technologies that could boost productivity in Australia, from robotics to biotechnology, quantum technologies to advanced manufacturing or information and communication technologies.”

Mr Husic said the inquiry was not simply about inventing new technologies but ensuring Australia benefits from them.

"We also need to think carefully about Australia's sovereign capability. The nations that develop, commercialise and deploy critical technologies will be the nations that capture the greatest residual economic and productive value from them."

Committee Deputy Chair Simon Kennedy said, “Australia cannot afford to sit on the sidelines of the AI and robotics revolution.

"These technologies have the potential to help solve the anaemic growth and productivity problems that have plagued our economy for years. We must grow these industries in Australia and ensure government policy enables innovation rather than inhibits it.”

In the inquiry, the committee will examine matters related to:

• harnessing technological innovation in priority technology fields identified as vital to Australia’s economic success;
• improving productivity through technology adoption and diffusion in different economic sectors, including market and non-market sectors;
• opportunities to facilitate uptake of, and promote investment in, productive technologies;
• barriers to technological innovation and the use of technologies to improve productivity in Australia;
• workforce and skills requirements to enable effective and productive use of new technologies; and
• international trends and experiences of major technology-driven productivity improvements.

The committee will release a discussion paper and open for submissions in the coming weeks. Those interested in contributing to the inquiry are encouraged to monitor the committee’swebsite for further information.

The committee is due to present its report to the House of Representatives by September 10, 2027.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) will hold a public hearing on Monday 14 September as part of its inquiry into the Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America on Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes. The agreement was referred to the committee on June 23.

The agreement aims to establish an overarching treaty-level framework for civil cooperation between Australia and the United States in aeronautics, space exploration, and the exploration and use of airspace and outer space for peaceful purposes. Potential areas of cooperation include space exploration, space science, Earth observation and Earth science, space medicine and life sciences, aeronautics research, and technology.

The US has similar agreements with more than a dozen countries, including Canada, France and New Zealand.

Committee Chair, Ms Lisa Chesters MP, said, "The inquiry provides an opportunity to examine the practical operation of the agreement and consider how its implementation may support Australia’s economic and strategic interests.

"The committee is interested in understanding the potential benefits, risks and implementation considerations associated with the Agreement, including its implications for research collaboration, industry participation and Australia's international partnerships in the space sector," Ms Chesters said.

The committee will hear evidence from the Australian Space Agency, CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Further information about the inquiry, including the treaty text, National Interest Analysis and submissions received by the committee, are available on the inquiry webpage.

Public hearing details

Date: Monday, 14 September 2026
Time: 10:30am to 11:30am AEST (approximately)
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra

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

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Procedure has presented the report of its Inquiry into disrespectful behaviour towards other Members in the Chamber.

The inquiry built on work undertaken in previous parliaments to raise the standard of behaviour in Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces. While progress has been made, cultural change is not a project with a defined end. It is the responsibility of all Members to uphold and promote high standards of behaviour, including in the House of Representatives Chamber.

It is a public forum where ideas are tested, elected representatives advocate for their constituents, and governments are held to account. Parliamentary privilege — including freedom of speech — is fundamental to the effective operation of the House. With that privilege comes a responsibility to engage with others respectfully.

"Robust debate and respectful conduct are not competing principles, but complementary." said Committee Chair, Ms Sharon Claydon MP. ‘The core principle of freedom of speech is entirely compatible with the values of courtesy, dignity and mutual respect."

The behaviour of parliamentarians in the Chamber is not an issue that is unique to the House of Representatives. As part of this inquiry, the committee heard from Members from across the House, Presiding Officers, Clerks, parliamentary officials, and representatives of other Australian and international parliaments whose evidence helped shape the committee’s recommendations.

A key question for this inquiry was the application of the Behaviour Code for Australian Parliamentarians to Members’ behaviour in the Chamber. The code was adopted as a continuing resolution of the House in 2024. The committee is satisfied that the code applies to Members’ conduct in the House. However, evidence received by the committee revealed a lack of clarity around how the Code applies and how it is enforced.

The committee has recommended a series of practical measures to support consistent understanding and application of the Code in the House. Recommendations include enhanced induction and refresher training and guidance for all Members, and additional support for new Members. The committee has also recommended tailored training for the Speaker’s panel, in recognition of their unique position presiding over the House.

Ms Claydon said, "Cultural change is not static but an ongoing process requiring consistent commitment, reflection and action by all Members. We should all strive to meet the high standards that Australians expect of us in our work and our conduct.

"The standing orders, established House practice, and the Code collectively provide us with a robust framework. The recommendations in this report reinforce this framework, fostering a parliamentary culture that balances mutual respect and robust debate.’

A full copy of the report and further information about the inquiry is available on the committee’s website.

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability has today presented and published its final report for its inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.

Committee Chair, Dr Mike Freelander MP, said, "The true cost of addiction to alcohol and other drugs in Australia is almost impossible to calculate but is measured in the tens of billions of dollars. We have a responsibility as public policymakers to look at how we are addressing this and whether our current frameworks are fit for purpose."

Dr Freelander said, "Our report makes 30 recommendations to the Australian Government which reflects the complexity of the issues that arose in the evidence to the inquiry. The committee believes strongly that these changes will have a significant impact in reducing alcohol-related harms to Australian individuals, families and communities."

The committee’s recommendations include:

• a new mandatory alcohol advertising and marketing framework;
• modelling of the alcohol taxation system to determine whether it remains fit for purpose;
• national standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol;
• capability building for primary and antenatal care services for alcohol screening and interventions, including for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD);
• a national early warning system for illicit drugs;
• increasing the awareness of, and access to, the Take Home Naloxone Program;
• mandatory alcohol and drug education programs in secondary schools;
• mandated alcohol and other drug training in medical colleges and across sectors;
• scaling of digital models of care and increased funding for integrated models of care;
• improving the retention of the alcohol and other drug workforce, including peer workers;
• improved and targeted services for regional areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and other vulnerable Australians.

The report can be accessed and downloaded here.

Further information about the committee’s inquiry is available at the Committee’s website.

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