THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 3, as part of its inquiry into solar panel reuse and recycling.

The inquiry was referred on January 19 this year by the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Murray Watt.

The public hearing will provide an opportunity for the dommittee to question officials from the CSIRO about photovoltaic research projects that the agency has been working on—including printable solar cells, perovskite-based cells and tandem cells — and how these may assist the development of a circular economy for solar panels in Australia.

Committee Chair, Anne Urquhart MP said, “The committee will discuss the innovative research work the CSIRO is undertaking on solar cell development to enhance the reuse and recycling potential of future solar panels.

“We are also keen to unpack the barriers to reuse and recycling of solar panels that CSIRO has identified in its submission to the inquiry, including further research and development required into ways to sustainably recycle silicon, silver and copper from panels—and a current lack of capital investment for specialised recycling machinery," Ms Urquhart said.

Public hearing details:

Date:               Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Time:               10am to 11am AEST (Canberra)
Location:         Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House Canberra and online (audio only).

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

Hearing with:   CSIRO

Further information, including the terms of reference, can be found on the committee’s website.

ends

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold a public hearing in Canberra as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.

On Friday,  the committee will hear from the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Aluminium Council and Regional Development Australia Goldfields Esperance.

In its submission, the MCA observed "mining has been a cornerstone industry for the development of regional Australia, supporting predictable workforce pathways, structured local procurement, coordinated infrastructure planning and whole-of-lifecycle management".

The MCA said, "Long-life mining is the stable foundation that makes every other development pathway possible. Remote communities need this stability to diversify from a standing start."

Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said, ‘The evidence received by the inquiry to date has highlighted both the opportunities and challenges faced by regional communities hosting critical minerals projects. Governments, industries and communities need to work together to maximise the benefits of critical minerals to regional communities. Getting critical minerals right will benefit the nation for decades to come."

More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on making a submission, can be found on the inquiry website.

Public hearing

Date: Friday, 29 May 2026
Time: 9am – 12pm (AEST)
Location: Committee Room 2R2, Parliament House, Canberra.

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.

ends

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport’s inquiry into local government funding will hear from the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC) and the Commonwealth Grants Commission (CGC) this week.

Mindful of the challenges faced by local governments, the committee said it wanted to better understand how the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Tony Mahar manages his national role in relation to energy infrastructure while working collaboratively with all levels of government, industry, landholders, and community members.

The committee will also hear from the Commonwealth Grants Commission to discuss its current roles and responsibilities, and how these have changed over time. The committee said it would be interested in hearing about the CGC’s views on horizontal fiscal equalisation between states and territories and the flow on effects for local governments.

Committee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said, "The committee will be particularly interested in hearing about the role of the AEIC to help make the shift to renewal energy smoother and fairer. This transition can involve significant disruption and uncertainty for host communities and their local councils and needs to be managed fairly across regional Australia.

“In regard to the CGC, the committee has also heard from councils and other stakeholders about the importance of ensuring the distribution of funding to local government is fair and equitable. We look forward to hearing from the CGC on their role.”

Further information on the inquiry, including the terms of reference and how to contribute, is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing

Date: Thursday, 28 May 2026
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra

A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website.

ends

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability will hold its final public hearings on Thursday May 28 and Friday May 29 for its inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs.

The witnesses appearing will include peak bodies for the alcohol industry, academic researchers, and national service providers for drug and alcohol harm intervention, including charities and Aboriginal health organisations. The committee will also hear from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Federal Police.

Committee Chair, Mike Freelander MP, said, "Alcohol and other drug-related harm negatively affect tens of thousands of Australians each year. This inquiry is nearing completion, and the Committee is looking forward to receiving further insights at these final hearings to help guide the deliberations for our report.

"The committee will seek to make meaningful policy recommendations to the government in our report to enhance existing protections, interventions, and recovery support for individuals, families, and communities suffering from the impacts of drug and alcohol abuse," Dr Freelander said.

Date: Thursday, 28 May and Friday, 29 May 2026

Time: Thursday – 9.45am–11.15am AEST

Friday – 8am – 1pm AEST

Location: Committee room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra and online (see below)

Hearing programs can be downloaded at: Public Hearings – alcohol and other drugs inquiry

A live audio broadcast of these hearings can be accessed at www.aph.gov.au/live.

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry is available at the Committee’s website.

ends