THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training is holding its first public hearing for its inquiry into the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the Australian education system.

Committee Chair Lisa Chesters MP said, “The committee is convening a panel of AI experts to open our public hearing program. This panel brings together expertise in education, curriculum innovation and digital technology, the responsible and ethical use of AI, and policy and regulation.

“The use of generative AI has increased rapidly in the past year including by students and teachers,” Ms Chesters said.

“Submissions to the inquiry have identified issues that we want to explore further, including the risks AI poses to academic integrity, and the potential it offers to personalise learning and address educational disadvantage,” Ms Chesters said.

“The committee will hold further public hearings over the coming months to examine these and other issues in depth, with representatives from government agencies, educational institutions, peak bodies, academics, and others.”

Public hearing details will be posted on the Committee’s website when available. More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and how to make a submission, can be found on the committee website.

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday 6 September 2023
Time: 11am to 12pm
Location: Committee Room 2S3

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

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) is holding a public hearing today, September 1, for its review of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill 2023.

The committee will hear from a range of government and non-government representatives to discuss the bill’s proposed prohibition of displaying and trading in Nazi and Islamic State symbols, as well as other measures in the Bill to strengthen terrorism offences.

The committee’s website has a full program for the hearing, and the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Peter Khalil MP, Chair of the PJCIS, said, “The committee looks forward to hearing a range of views to inform its consideration of the Hate Symbols Bill. We will be particularly interested in hearing about possible unintended consequences and how these might be addressed to ensure that the Bill appropriately deals with violent extremist material.”

On June 14, 2023, the Attorney-General wrote to the committee referring the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill 2023 for the Committee’s review.

The Bill would amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to:

• create offences for publicly displaying prohibited Nazi or Islamic State symbols, and trading in items bearing these symbols;
• create offences for using a carriage service to deal with violent extremist material;
• strengthen the offence of advocating terrorism; and
• remove the sunsetting of terrorist organisation listings.

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

Public hearing

1 September 2023
9am – 4pm AEST
Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra; and via videoconference.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will hold a public hearing today into the Audiovisual Co-production Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of Australia.

Committee Chair, Josh Wilson MP said, “The agreement builds on the already strong relationship between Australia and India to develop high quality projects that will encourage screen industry employment, technical development and cultural exchange.”

The agreement provides a framework for the parties to cooperate to approve the creation of audiovisual productions which includes feature films, television, video recordings, animations, and digital format productions. The agreement in question would be Australia’s 14th co-production arrangement.  

Mr Wilson said, “India is a valuable partner and market for Australian co-productions. Australia would be able to reach a large audience in India and showcase Australian culture, landscapes, and stories.”

The committee will hear from officials from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Screen Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and other stakeholders.

Public hearing details

Date:               Monday 4 September 2023
Time:               about 11:20am
Location:         Committee Room 2R1 and videoconference

The hearing can be accessed online and the program for this hearing is available on the Committee website, along with further information about the inquiry.

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THE RESPONSE of the insurance industry to major flood events across Australia in 2022 will be the focus of a new inquiry by the House Standing Committee on Economics.

The inquiry will take a whole-of-economy view of the ongoing challenges caused by intense and frequent flood events.

In particular, the inquiry will look at insurers’ responses to the 2022 flood events in south-east Queensland and northern NSW during February and March; the floods in greater Sydney and the Hunter in July; the October floods in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania; and the floods in November and December in the central west of NSW.

The inquiry will focus on a range of issues, including:

• Timeframes for resolving claims;
• Obstacles to resolving claims;
• Communication with people lodging claims;
• The effectiveness of internal dispute resolution processes;
• The accessibility and affordability of hydrology reports and assessments;
• The affordability of insurance cover; and
• The preparedness of insurance companies for future major floods.

The chair of the committee, Daniel Mulino MP, said, “The aftermath of intense natural disasters continues to have a huge impact on the lives of Australians - in rural and regional communities and in metropolitan areas.

“People in my electorate of Fraser were devastated when the Maribyrnong River flooded in October. I spent the following days door knocking, making sure residents were safe and that they had been able to claim disaster payments from Services Australia. I will never forget the despair of the families and local business owners who lost everything.

“My staff are still advocating for affected residents who have outstanding claims with their insurance companies. Meanwhile, they are also trying to rebuild their lives, which is difficult when claims haven’t been settled.”

To kick off the inquiry, an online survey has been launched to hear from people who were affected by the major floods. “It is really important that people participate in the survey,” Dr Mulino said.

“Committee members need to have a good understanding of people’s experiences with their insurance companies. Their evidence will inform our discussions throughout the inquiry and help guide our recommendations.”

From an insurance perspective, the 2022 floods were some of the costliest in the nation’s history.

“This is why it is also critical that we engage with the insurance industry and understand the effect of supply chain issues, skills and labour shortages on responding to claims; how insurers communicate with their policy holders in difficult times; and their preparedness for future events,” Dr Mulino said.

In addition to the online survey, available here, the committee will also accept submissions that address the Terms of Reference until October 31, 2023. Submissions can be made online.

Further information about the committee’s inquiry, including the full terms of reference, details on how to participate in the survey or make a submission, are on the inquiry’s website.

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