On Wednesday the 17th of April, the Hon Richard Marles MP, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, addressed the National Press Club to launch the National Defence Strategy (NDS) and the Integrated Investment Program (IIP). Marles emphasised the strategic focus on Australia’s amphibious force, funding re-prioritisation and the historic level of funding increase… Continue reading The National Defence Strategy & Integrated Investment Program
Category: Federal & ACT
Environment Protection and Conservation (EPBC) Act Reforms
On April 16, 2024, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water, announced the Government’s plan to progress to the second stage of its Nature Positive Plan, including establishing the body ‘Environment Protection Australia’. The announcement follows the Government’s commitment to comprehensively reform the nation’s primary environmental protection laws, the Environment Protection and… Continue reading Environment Protection and Conservation (EPBC) Act Reforms
Reform of Merger Regulations
On Wednesday the 10th of April, Federal Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers MP announced changes to Australian merger regulation. At the Bannerman Competition Lecture, co-hosted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, Chalmers reinforced the need for greater transparency and increase to the ACCC’s remit.… Continue reading Reform of Merger Regulations
Jobs and Skills Australia
On the 1st and 2nd of September 2022, governments, employers, unions, and civil society met at Parliament House to discuss the shared economic challenges that these groups face at the Jobs and Skills Summit. Read Hawker Britton’s Occasional Papers on the Summit here, and its findings here. Treasurer Chalmers used much of the Summit to… Continue reading Jobs and Skills Australia
Australian Universities Accord
Australian Universities Accord Final Report On the 25th of February 2024, Minister for Education Jason Clare released the Australian Universities Accords final report, billing it as the map to invest in Australia’s higher education system for decades to come. Following the release of the interim report in July 2023, 47 recommendations are contained in the report… Continue reading Australian Universities Accord