THE House of Representatives Health Committee will hold the first public hearing on Wednesday October 12, 2022 for its Inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections.

The Chair of the Committee, Mike Freelander MP said, "The hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from hospitals about their experience supporting patients with long COVID and/or repeated COVID infections, and the impact of long COVID and/or repeated COVID infections on Australia’s overall health system.

"The committee is also looking forward to hearing from research organisations about research into long COVID and repeated COVID infections, including around the prevalence of these conditions, potential causes, and groups that may be particularly at-risk."

The committee intends to hold more public hearings in due course and interested parties are being encouraged to make a submission to this inquiry by November 18, 2022.

Further information about the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on how to lodge a submission are available at the Committee’s website.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will hold a public hearing on Thursday 13 October 2022 into the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA).

The AI-ECTA is an interim agreement that deals with a smaller range of matters than typically found in a comprehensive agreement. It contains 14 chapters and a range of side letters, and is intended to establish a framework for future economic, trade and investment interactions between Australia and India.

“India is a complex market for Australian exporters,” Committee Chair, Josh Wilson MP said. “India looks for balance between openness to foreign trade and concern for the livelihoods of Indian small businesses. The committee is keen to explore how Australia fared in striking this balance in the AI-ECTA.

“The committee looks forward to hearing from a range of representatives who can speak to the substance of the AI-ECTA and the ways in which it might benefit and otherwise impact Australian businesses and consumers.”

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Time: 9am – 12.30pm AEDT

The program for this hearing is also available online.

Further information on the inquiry can be found on the Committee website.

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HOW Australia supports democracy in the region will be examined in a new parliamentary inquiry.

The inquiry was referred by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, on September 28  to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) with specific Terms of Reference. The JSCFADT has tasked the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee to undertake this inquiry.

Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee, Josh Burns MP said, “I am looking forward to leading this inquiry and hearing from expert witnesses about how we can support the role of civil society organisations working toward equitable participation in democracy and an open, free and independent media sector.

“I encourage interested individuals and organisations to make submissions focused on Australia’s long-term interest in the region, and our common connection through shared democratic values, liberty, human rights and rules-based systems”.

The committee has requested initial submissions addressing the terms of reference to this inquiry by Friday, November 11, 2022.

Further information in relation to the inquiry is available from the JCFADT’s website.

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THE Professional Standards Councils have published their combined 2021/22 Annual Report. The annual report is a consolidated volume of the councils’ achievements and performances over the past financial year.

Professional Standards Councils’ chair, John Vines OAM said the 2021/22 Annual Report demonstrated the councils’ achievements in working with professional associations to maintain high standards in the delivery of services to Australian consumers.

“The data shows over 93,000 professionals now participate as members of 18 occupational and professional associations with approved professional standards schemes, providing greater consumer protection,” Mr Vines said.

“We have kept our focus on the important work of regulating for consumer protection and advancing professional standards, while also looking to the future and how we can encourage and assist occupational associations in their important work of regulating their members and serving their communities.”

During the 2021-22 financial year the Professional Standards Councils:

• Approved five new schemes for associations;
• Encouraged associations to engage in root cause analysis, resulting in 42 percent of associations undertaking it, with 37 percent incorporating elements into their risk management strategies;
• Launched a new Scheme Application Framework, to make completing an application for a professional standards scheme clearer, simpler and more efficient. Found that 60 percent of legal profession associations are now reporting on sexual harassment as part of their risk analysis or risk management strategies;
• Published a Rapid Evidence Review: Professional Standards and Sexual Harassment to encourage consumer-protection focused professional standards responses to sexual harassment in the legal profession;
• Delivered two online Professional Standards Forums to over 130 delegates from all states and territories in Australia on the topics of:
  • ‘Continuing professional development in the regulation of professional standards’
  • ‘Responding to risk – insurance and improvement strategies'

For more information or to access the Professional Standards Councils’ 2021-22 Annual Report, visit www.psc.gov.au.

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