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

On Friday, October 16 the committee will hear from environmental scientist Dr Dora Pearce, the Victorian-based Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Regional Development Australia Gippsland and the Quantum Sunlands Project, focussed on graphite mining and processing.

In its submission, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining observes that "critical minerals development is disproportionately occurring in places already shaped by socio-economic disadvantage and uneven development. This has consequences for how governments should think about economic benefit, workforce participation, infrastructure, cumulative pressure, and the distribution of risk and benefit."

Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said, ‘The inquiry has highlighted both the tremendous opportunities and real challenges presented by critical minerals projects. Some questions have been raised in regional Australia about the benefits to them.

"Governments must be prepared to shape policy to ensure that grasping the opportunities provides direct benefits to affected communities, at minimal cost, as well as broader benefits to the nation. That will ensure social licence for industries and governments alike."

More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on making a submission, can be found on the inquiry website.

Public hearing

Date: Friday, 16 October 2026
Time: 9am – 12.40pm (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra.

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.

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TODAY, for the final time, the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has tabled a report of its annual inquiry into the Defence Major Projects Report.

The Major Projects Report has served as a landmark of Defence accountability for 18years. What commenced as a response to poor visibility on the progress of major projects evolved over the years into a technical document that has provided the data necessary for parliamentary scrutiny.

As with previous inquiries, the committee’s report finds that although there have been improvements in Defence performance, Defence projects continue to experience scope, budget and schedule difficulties, when compared with original second pass approval.

Although the 2024-25 Major Projects Report is the final report, it will not be the end of the committee’s scrutiny of Defence expenditures. The committee will evolve the shape and form of its scrutiny for the future.

As a first step in this reformulation of Defence scrutiny, and pursuant to a recommendation in the report, Defence will provide information to the committee as requested, containing specified data on the projects the committee deems necessary. This will be information that assists the committee to audit and assess Defence’s performance and governance of its major acquisition projects.

The committee will also increase its scrutiny of performance audits in the Defence portfolio and has commenced this with inquiries into the Land 400 Phase 3 project, and the Collins Class Submarines Life of Type Extension Project.

Committee Chair, Josh Burns MP, said, “Scrutiny of Defence performance in delivering capability will always be necessary and vital in a democracy where the military must remain accountable to the Parliament for the expenditure of large amounts of public money.”

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme has today tabled a report in Parliament, following a year-long inquiry into the continuing operation of the scheme.

The report – Their Courage, Our Responsibility: The continuing operation of the National Redress Scheme and Australia's commitment to survivors – draws on evidence and experiences shared with the committee by victim-survivors, redress support service providers, participating institutions, researchers and government agencies.

The committee made 31 recommendations aimed at strengthening the scheme's operation as its conclusion draws near, supporting victim-survivors beyond its closure, and ensuring that the lessons that have been learned since its commencement are preserved as part of the scheme’s enduring legacy.

Most significantly, the committee recommended that the application deadline for the scheme be extended from June 30, 2027 until December 31, 2027, and that the scheme not be closed until all applications have been processed.

Committee Chair, Jodie Belyea MP, said the National Redress Scheme is a unique undertaking, unparalleled internationally in both its scale and complexity.

"Over the past eight years, the scheme has been a critical avenue for recognition, support and redress for thousands of victim-survivors. For many, it has been life-changing," Ms Belyea said. "Equally, many applicants find the process deeply challenging."

The Redress Scheme has been placed under pressure by sustained demand for redress and growing application volumes. The committee has focused on how those pressures can be addressed in a trauma-informed, victim-focused way, including how victim-survivors are supported as the scheme moves towards closure and beyond.

‘The experiences of survivors and the knowledge gained through the operation of the scheme are a vital part of our broader national reckoning with institutional child sexual abuse," Ms Belyea said. "The committee is intent on ensuring that the scheme closes safely and responsibly, and that victim-survivors continue to receive the support they need."

More information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference and submissions, can be found on the inquiry webpage.

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THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick MP, has chosen distinguished political journalist Dennis Shanahan to deliver the sixth Speaker’s Lecture at Parliament House on November 23.

Mr Shanahan will speak on the topic ‘How the rise of social media and misinformation is changing Australia’s democracy, and what we can do to safeguard our country.’

Mr Shanahan has been The Australian’s Canberra bureau chief, then political editor and now national editor based in the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery since 1989 covering every Federal Budget, election and prime minister since then. He has been in journalism since 1971 and has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, New York.

Speaker's Lecture 2026

Date: Monday 23 November 2026
Time: 12 noon – 1pm AEDT
Venue: Main Committee Room, Parliament House, Canberra

Mr Shanahan will be introduced by the Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Ms Claressa Surtees. A Q&A session will be held after Mr Shanahan’s speech.

Building occupants and members of the public have been invited to attend (RSVP required). 

The Speaker’s lecture will also be broadcast on the APH website: www.aph.gov.au/live.

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