About the House: online news from the House of Representatives

New About the House TV programs on website

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:10:09 +1100

New About the House TV programs on:

Agroforestry and climate change;

Youth Violence; and

approaches to getting the balance right on combining school and work

are now available to view online at the About the House News page.

ParlReplay: Question Time 19 November 2009 now available online

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:19:06 +1100

The ParlReplay of Question Time of 19 November 2009 is now available in streaming video from the About the House website.

This video content will be available from the site for approximately one month.

ParlReplay: Question Time 18 November 2009 now available online

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:26:07 +1100

The ParlReplay of Question Time of 18 November 2009 is now available in streaming video from the About the House website.

This video content will be available from the site for approximately one month.

ParlReplay: Question Time 17 November 2009 now available online

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:44:23 +1100

The ParlReplay of Question Time of 17 November 2009 is now available in streaming video from the About the House website.

This video content will be available from the site for approximately one month.

ParlReplay: Question Time 16 November 2009 now available online

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:11:41 +1100

The ParlReplay of Question Time of 16 November 2009 is now available in streaming video from the About the House website.

This video content will be available from the site for approximately one month.

ParlReplay: Apology to the Forgotten Australians and former child migrants

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:09:00 +1100

Video of the speeches is now available from the House News site.

Visit the House Highlights channel for speeches by the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and other Members of Parliament.

More research into climate adaptation required

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:43:50 +1100

The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST) will share its concerns about research funding with the House Primary Industries and Resources Committee at a public hearing to be held in Canberra.

This week in the House for week beginning 16 November 2009 now available

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:11:41 +1100

This week in the House - a summary of expected business in the House of Representatives for the week beginning 16 November 2009 - is now available from our website.

National youth violence survey seeks answers

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:52:40 +1100

More than 600 young Australians have already responded to a recently launched national survey on youth violence. Targeted at 12 to 24-year-olds, the survey seeks young people’s views on and experiences with youth violence to help find solutions to the problem.

The time to act is now

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:11:43 +1100

The House of Representatives Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts Committee has released its inquiry report, Managing our Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate: the Time to Act is Now.

This week in the House for week beginning 26 October 2009

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:42:13 +1100

This week in the House - a summary of expected business in the House of Representatives for the week beginning 26 October 2009 - is now available from our website.

2010 Parliamentary Sitting Calendar released

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:13:45 +1100

The 2010 Parliamentary Sitting Calendar is now available to download in PDF format from our website.

HTML, PDF, iCalendar versions will be published as soon as possible.

Productivity Commission to discuss productivity growth

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:33:35 +1100

The House Economics Committee will hold its first public hearing on Friday 23 October 2009 at Parliament House, Canberra as part of a federal parliamentary inquiry into raising the rate of productivity growth in the Australian economy.

Reforming our Referendum Processes

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:57:48 +1100

The House Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee will hold a roundtable discussion on reforming our referendum processes with a number of key organisations and academics in Sydney on Wednesday 14 October. Participants include the Australian Electoral Commission, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, AusPoll, the Foundation for Young Australians, as well as Gilbert & Tobin Centre Professor George Williams.

Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, banks and consumers to front Cyber Crime Inquiry

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 15:47:59 +1100

The IT industry leaders such as Microsoft and computer security companies like Symantec and McAfee, plus consumer groups, and banks will be among those appearing before the House of Representatives Communications Committee Inquiry into Cyber Crime on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 October at NSW Parliament House, Sydney.

Public Works to review $1.5 billion in defence construction projects

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 14:47:37 +1000

Federal Parliament’s Public Works Committee is reviewing significant construction proposals by Defence across Australia worth nearly $1.5 billion and also an embassy refurbishment in Paris.

Helping regional Australia respond to the global financial crisis Darwin public hearing

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:39:24 +1000

The House of Representatives Regional Development Committee is conducting a series of public hearings as part of its inquiry into the impact of the global financial crisis on regional Australia.

Farmers and climate change in Western Australia

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:07:22 +1000

As part of its inquiry into Australian farmers and climate change, the House of Representatives Primary Industries and Resources Committee will be holding a public hearing in Perth on the afternoon of Thursday 24 September, and property inspections at Geraldton on Friday 25 September.

Villawood building works to be scrutinised

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:49:02 +1000

The Public Works Committee is conducting an inquiry into the proposed redevelopment of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.

Getting the policy right

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:40:42 +1000

As part of its inquiry into Australian farmers and climate change, the House Primary Industries and Resources Committee will hear from representatives of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and the Bureau of Meteorology(BoM) at a public hearing to be held at Parliament House in Canberra.

Last Week in the House now available

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:28:47 +1000

Last Week in the House for the week beginning 7 September 2009 is now available.

This page provides a summary of the work done in the House of Representatives and its Main Committee during the past sitting week.

It is updated weekly during sittings.

Committee delivers report on cluster munitions convention

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:15:57 +1000

The Parliament’s Treaties Committee has recommended that Australia ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Committee’s Report 103 reviews the Convention, which is aimed at ending the use of these dangerous munitions.

Final report on immigration detention in Australia released

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:40:10 +1000

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration tabled its third and final report on immigration detention on Monday 17 August in the House of Representatives.

New inquiry into the impact of violence on young Australians

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:39:17 +1000

The House of Representatives Family and Youth Committee is conducting an inquiry into the impact of violence on young Australians.

Joint Migration Committee tables second report into immigration detention

Wed, 27 May 2009 16:33:28 +1000

Joint Migration Committee tables second report into immigration detention The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has recommended the Australian government utilise a reformed bridging visa framework in lieu of community detention until a person’s immigration status is resolved in its report tabled on 25 May.

Chair of the Migration Committee, Mr Michael Danby, said that the Committee recognised early on in its inquiry that a new approach to immigration detention was needed.

More information, including a link to the Migration Committee's report is available from the About the House news page.

This week in the House for week beginning 25 May 2009

Fri, 22 May 2009 17:54:34 +1000

This week in the House - a summary of expected business in the House of Representatives for the week beginning 25 May 2009 - is now available from our website.

Proposal to protect government whistleblowers

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:55:06 +1100

The House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has released its report on whistleblower protection for the federal government public sector.

The report recommends that the federal government introduce new dedicated legislation to facilitate the making of public interest disclosures and strengthen legal protection for whistleblowers in the Commonwealth public sector.

For more information, including links to the report and an audio PODcast of the press conference held after the report's release, visit the About the House News site

Reserve Bank Hearing video replay now available

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:35:11 +1100

The House of Representatives Economics Committee held a public hearing with the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Mr Glenn Stevens, in Canberra on Friday, 20 February 2009.

A video replay of the hearing in is now available to stream from our House News site. Visit the House Highlights tab on the ParlReplay player.

The video is available as in Flash format, in both high and low resolution formats. The Hansard transcript will be available at a later date.

Reserve Bank Hearing PODcasts - MP3 audio files now available

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:13:50 +1100

The House of Representatives Economics Committee held a public hearing with the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Mr Glenn Stevens, in Canberra on Friday, 20 February 2009.

The PODcast of the hearing (mp3 format) is now available to download from our House News site. Visit the Audio Clips tab on the ParlReplay player.

The Hansard transcript will be available at a later date.

Public Works Committee to hold hearings on $793 million Defence project

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:12:36 +1100

The Parliamentary Public Works Committee will conduct hearings on $793 million worth of new facilities proposed by Defence for Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, RAAF Base Amberley, Brisbane , and six other locations to support the needs of Enhanced Land Force Stage 1.

About the House will be back on the 12 January 2009

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:14:45 +1100

All the staff at the About the House website would like to wish you a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. The website will be regularly updated again from the 12 January in 2009.

New inquiry on disability access standards

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:41:24 +1100

The House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee will review the effectiveness of the federal government’s draft Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards.

Remote community stores in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 15:51:49 +1100

The operation of local community stores in remote Indigenous communities is the focus of a new inquiry by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.