A CONSIDERATION of how best to address workforce shortages in the health care sector will be a focus of the next public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said, "We will be speaking to a range of organisations involved in the provision of health care. Most have made submissions to the inquiry, and we will be exploring with them issues encompassing the attraction and retention of doctors, nurses and other skilled migrants in the sector; the inflexibility, cost and complexity of the existing visa system; and the particular challenges facing those providing health care in rural and remote communities."

The committee will also consider opportunities to make better use of migrant skills, including those who arrive as humanitarian entrants.

"We need to address the underutilisation of the skills of migrants who come to build their lives in our society, and particularly the ways in which they can be better supported to maximise their contribution to our nation," Ms Vamvakinou said.

At the hearing, the committee will take the opportunity to further explore broader challenges in the migration system with the Migration Institute of Australia and the work of their members in providing advice to migrants.

This will be followed by a discussion with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and their regulatory role in both protecting migrants who require immigration advice and in ensuring the integrity of the migration advice industry.

The full hearing program is available on the inquiry website.

Hearing details

Monday, 14 August 2023 – 10am to 4.20pm – Videoconference.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth has launched an inquiry into the approach adopted by the Australian Government when negotiating trade and investment agreements.

The inquiry will focus on how the Australian Government develops a negotiating mandate and framework that reflects whole of government priorities, as well as priorities for State and Territory Governments, businesses and workers, including processes for consultation. It will also consider how to ensure agreements advance Australia’s national and cultural interests, and that First Nations Australians can participate and benefit in trade.

Committee Chair, Steve Georganas MP said, “Trade agreements serve an important role in creating well-paid, secure jobs, improving our economic resilience and increasing the living standards for Australians.

“The committee wants to hear from businesses, workers, industry associations and other interested parties from across the community to understand how the approach taken to negotiating trade and investment agreements could be improved to ensure these agreements are of greatest benefit to the Australian community.”

The  committee is seeking submissions from interested individuals, businesses and organisations on the inquiry’s terms of reference by Friday, September 22, 2023.

Further information about the inquiry, including published submissions and hearing transcripts, will be available on the inquiry webpage.

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has launched a new inquiry into the effectiveness of policy and program planning, design and implementation in meeting government objectives.

This inquiry will consider the issues captured in six recent reports of the Auditor-General that have evaluated different policies and programs delivered by a variety of Commonwealth agencies:

• No. 6 (2022-23) Implementation of the Export Control Legislative Framework, particularly chapter 4 on performance monitoring and reporting
• No. 10 (2022-23) Expansion of Telehealth Services
• No. 16 (2022-23) Management of Migration to Australia — Family Migration Program
• No. 17 (2022-23) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s cultural reform
• No. 39 (2022–23) Implementation of the government response to the Black Economy Taskforce
• No.42 (2022–23) Access and Participation Programs for Regional and Remote Students.

The terms of reference for the inquiry can be found at the inquiry website.

Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP, said, "Policy development and program design are core business for the Australian Public Service (APS) in fulfilling its role in advising Ministers and governments and implementing new laws and policies.

“The APS does some terrific work in policy development but there are clearly areas for improvement. The committee invites submissions from anyone with an interest in how policy formulation and implementation can be improved.

“This inquiry is also timely given the increasing complexity of the challenges that Australian policymakers are grappling with. The committee looks forward to having robust discussions with a range of Commonwealth entities and experts.”

The committee invites submissions to the inquiry addressing the terms of reference to be received by Friday, September 22, 2023.

Details of the inquiry including upcoming public hearings will be made available on the inquiry website.

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JOB MATCHING platform SEEK, the Business Council of Australia, academic and policy experts, and members of the youth advocacy and entrepreneurship sectors will appear before the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services at a public hearing in Canberra on Friday, August 11.

The hearing will focus on how the employment services system should support and work with employers, entrepreneurs, and younger people.

Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP, said, “Employment services have failed to meet the needs of employers. Nowhere is this clearer than in the fact that while employers across Australia are crying out for staff, there are now more long-term unemployed people than before the pandemic.

“Mounting evidence suggests the system has a distorted and perverted focus on supply, and not enough on demand. Or in plain English, case managers are too tied up policing unemployed people without enough focus on working with employers and matching people to actual jobs.

“The committee is all ears, keen to hear ideas for reforms to Australia’s employment services system which could boost demand-led solutions, facilitating more effective workforce planning, recruitment, and lasting employment outcomes.

“We are also interested to listen and learn more about SEEK’s submission—which suggests government is unnecessarily duplicating services—and SEEK’s proposal for change.

“Youth specialist services are important and any reforms must consider the unique needs of younger jobseekers and how they engage with services.”

Further information about the inquiry, including Terms of Reference, future public hearings, published submissions and hearing transcripts, is available on the inquiry website.

Public hearing details

Date                11 August 2023
Time               12.45pm – 5.00pm
Location       Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra           
Witnesses   SEEK Ltd
                           Dr Ann Nevile
                           Business Council of Australia
                           Australian Entrepreneurs Alliance
                           Paul Ramsay Foundation
                           Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

A live audio broadcast of the hearing will be available via the Parliament’s Watch, Read, Listen website.

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