RSL QUEENSLAND has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that veterans will be counted in the 2021 Census.

RSL Queensland general manager for Veteran Services, Rob Skoda said accurate demographic data about Australia’s Defence community would facilitate enhanced support services targeted to veterans’ unique needs.

“For the first time, we’ll have a clear picture of exactly how many veterans there are among the Australian population, as well as demographic data such as their ages and locations,” Mr Skoda said.

“Greater clarity about the veteran population and their needs is critical to ensuring adequate resources are deployed where veterans are located, and that our services meet their needs more effectively.”

He said RSL Queensland provided a comprehensive range of services, including:

• help finding civilian employment
• scholarships for tertiary or vocational education
• support for homeless veterans
• assistance with DVA claims.

www.rslqld.org

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing for its Review of the mandatory data retention regime.

The chair, Andrew Hastie MP, said, "This hearing will allow the committee to hear from further interested civil society stakeholders as well as the communications industry peak body on the mandatory data retention regime. We will consider these issues closely and carefully."

The mandatory data retention regime is the legislative framework which requires carriers, carriage service providers and internet service providers to retain a defined set of telecommunications data for two years, ensuring that such data remains available for law enforcement and national security investigations

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: February 14, 2020
Time: 8.30am – 12.20 pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

A full program for the hearing can be found here.

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An inquiry into 5G mobile technology in Australia will take evidence across Australia, with hearings in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney next week.

HOUSE of Representatives Communications and the Arts Committee chair David Gillespie said the hearings would give start-ups, small business and big business a chance to talk about how they want to use 5G mobile technology.

"We want to hear what 5G can do for business. 5G is a brand name, and it will be up to Australian companies to decide what they want out of it and develop use cases as the technology develops," Dr Gillespie said.

"We’re travelling around Australia to hear about innovation. The committee wants to hear how 5G and the Internet of Things will allow new ways of working in the automotive, agricultural and of course telecommunications industries."

The committee will also have the opportunity to hear from people who have concerns about the deployment of 5G.

Information about the inquiry, including the public hearing programs, may be found on the committee’s webpage.

Public hearing details

• Perth: Monday, 17 February 2020 – Committee Room 1, Parliament of Western Australia, 10am to 12.45pm
• Adelaide: Tuesday, 18 February 2020 - Balcony Room, Parliament of South Australia, North Terrace, 9am to 12.45pm
• Melbourne: Wednesday, 19 February 2020 - Room G1 –Ground Floor, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, 11.30am to 1.45pm
• Sydney: Thursday, 20 February 2020 – Pollard Room, Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney, 9am to 2.45pm.

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

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MORE THAN 116,000 people were estimated to be homeless in Australia on Census night in 2016. Among them were people living in severely crowded dwellings, people living in temporary accommodation, and rough sleepers.

To examine this issue, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has launched an inquiry into homelessness in Australia.

Chair of the committee, Andrew Wallace MP, said the inquiry would seek to understand the factors that contribute to people becoming homeless, identify opportunities to prevent homelessness, and examine ways to better support the homeless and those at risk.

"Sadly, each night in Australia there are tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness," Mr Wallace said. "We know that there are many pathways that can lead to homelessness, and through this inquiry we are hoping to understand how we can better support those who face it, and help some of the most vulnerable in our community.

"There is a range of services available to support people who are homeless or at risk, and the committee is particularly interested in hearing from communities around Australia about approaches that are working well, and ideas for improvement."

The committee will accept written submissions until April 9, 2020.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Information about making a submission is available on the Parliament of Australia webpage.

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