THE Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport is set to hold two public hearings as part of its ongoing inquiry into diabetes. These hearings will provide a platform for key stakeholders to voice their perspectives, concerns, and recommendations, shedding light on this critical health issue.

The first public hearing at Parliament House will bring together a group of advocates, experts, and peak health organisations. The Committee will hear from Diabetes Australia and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association, two organisations that play a major role in supporting people living with diabetes. The Committee will also hear from public health experts including the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian College of Nursing, and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).

Parliament House public hearing

Date: Friday, 15 September 2023
Time: 8:40am to 4pm AEST
Location: Committee Room 1R4 8:40am – 12pm, Committee Room 1R2 12pm – 4pm; Parliament House Canberra

The second public hearing will take place at Campbelltown Hospital in South West Sydney, an area with a notably high prevalence of diabetes. The Chair of the Committee, Mike Freelander MP, said, "Western Sydney is unfortunately a diabetes hotspot in this country. The committee looks forward to hearing local perspectives about what Australia can do differently to combat diabetes, in particular type 2 diabetes."

Deputy Chair of the Committee, Melissa McIntosh MP, said, "This public hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from health practitioners working at Nepean Hospital and Campbelltown Hospital, including endocrinologists, clinical nurses, dietitians and diabetes coordinators. These medical professionals support patients in Western Sydney living with all forms of diabetes, including type 1, type 2, gestational and other rarer forms of diabetes, and will have valuable insights to share."

Campbelltown Hospital public hearing

Date: Monday, 18 September 2023
Time: 9am to 3pm AEST
Location: Education Centre, Building A, Campbelltown Hospital, Therry Road, Campbelltown NSW

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

The committee intends to hold more public hearings in due course. For more information about the Committee’s inquiry, visit its website.

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has commenced a review of the relisting of Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Criminal Code).

ISEA is a Philippines-based organisation affiliated with Islamic State. The Australian Government has listed ISEA as a terrorist organisation since 2017. Since its last relisting in 2020, ISEA has continued to make terrorist threats and conducted a number of terrorist attacks in the Philippines.

Relisting ISEA triggers the ongoing application of a number of offences under the Criminal Code relating to membership of, support for, or association with the organisation.

Section 102.1A of the Criminal Code provides that the committee may review listings of terrorist organisations and report its findings to each house of Parliament within the 15 sitting day disallowance period.

Members of the public are welcome to make submissions to this review by Friday, September 29, 2023.

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

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security today tabled a report by statement endorsing the relisting of Islamic State, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as terrorist organisations under Division 102 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Criminal Code).

This report concludes the committee’s review of the 2023 relisting of three organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code.

All three organisations have been previously listed as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code. Their relisting for a further three-year period ensures the ongoing application of offences under the Criminal Code relating to membership of, support for, or association with the organisations.

The committee reported that Islamic State, Boko Haram and ISWAP "all seek to promote sectarian violence and terrorist attacks in support of their extremist cause. Since these organisations were last listed all have committed and promoted the undertaking of terrorist acts which have caused widespread death and injury to civilians, government officials and military personnel".

Chair of the Committee, Peter Khalil MP said, "Islamic State, ISWAP and Boko Haram all continue to commit violent terrorist attacks causing death and injury. Having reviewed the available evidence, the committee has no hesitation endorsing the relisting of them as terrorist organisations under Australia’s criminal law."

Further information on the committee’s review and report by statement can be found on the PJCIS website.

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) has tabled an interim report for its inquiry into procurement at Services Australia and the NDIA which were connected with consulting firm Synergy 360.

The report recommends that the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) examine the evidence gathered by the committee to date to determine whether to conduct a fuller investigation to establish the substance of the serious allegations made in relation to former Minister Stuart Robert and Synergy 360.

Committee Chair Julian Hill MP said, “A referral to the NACC should never be made lightly and is not done so here. There appears to be no other appropriate course of action however in light of the serious and systemic nature of the allegations raised.

“The committee has established a number of matters but is unable, given its resources, lack of forensic accounting expertise, and the refusal so far of key witnesses to provide documents or fully answer questions, to make clear findings as to the truth. An agency with compulsory questioning, document gathering, and investigatory powers may be able to properly assess these matters.

“Throughout this inquiry the committee has sought to always act in the public interest. The inquiry is ongoing, and a final report will be tabled as soon as possible.”

Concerning reports were received of alleged financial impropriety, improper relationships and undisclosed conflicts of interest with parties receiving contracts from the Commonwealth.

Rebutting these allegations, Mr Robert, his longtime friend, business partner and political fundraiser Mr John Margerison, Synergy 360 principal Mr David Milo and others strongly deny improper conduct, hence the evidence before the inquiry is directly conflicting.

The committee has also recommended that the Speaker authorise the commissioning of legal advice regarding the nature of the committee’s statutory powers under sections 13 – 15 of its legislation, including situations where a person claims to be resident overseas.

Further information is available on the inquiry website.

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