Skip to content
Education Training, Government Federal

Electoral Matters Committee considers civics education beyond the classroom

Parliament of Australia < 1 min read

This week the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will hold two public hearings as part of its inquiry into civics education, engagement, and participation in Australia on Wednesday, 11 September and Friday, 13 September 2024.

Committee Chair, Senator the Hon Carol Brown said ‘as this inquiry continues, a key theme has been the importance of civics education outside the classroom setting.

‘Equal participation in our democracy and the casting of an informed vote depends on a range of factors such as how inclusive and accessible civics education is and how it is being taught outside of school.

‘The Committee looks forward to exploring how parliaments and universities teach civics and digital literacy and how youth engagement with our democracy can be improved. We will also be learning more about how students navigate the abundance of readily available information online and how they can better identify mis- and dis-information,’ Senator Brown said.

Public hearings details

Date: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Time: 9.45 am to 10.30 am
Location: Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra
Witness: Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Milton Dick MP

Date: Friday, 13 September 2024
Time: 8.30 am to 12.30 pm
Location:Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra
Witnesses: News and Media Research Centre, University of Canberra; Parliamentary Education Office; Universities Australia; Dr Sarah Moulds; Australian Electoral Commission

A livestream of the hearings will be available via the Parliament’s Watch, Read, Listen website.

Further information about the inquiry, including submissions received and past public hearings, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Media inquiries

Geordan Fletcher
Office of Senator the Hon Carol Brown (Chair)
(02) 6277 3336
[email protected]

For background information

Committee Secretariat
(02) 6277 2374
[email protected]

 

More from this category

  • Education Training, General News
  • 05/06/2026
  • 14:52
House of Representatives

What drives differences in educational attainment?

TheHouse of Representatives Standing Committee on Educationis calling for submissions to its inquiry into the factors driving educational attainment. The inquiry will examine a wide range of issues that influence educational outcomes, including gender differences, cultural and linguistic diversity, and socio-economic status. It aims to identify practical, evidence-based strategies to improve educational outcomes for all learners throughout the course of the education journey. Committee Chair,Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘Educational attainment has a profound impact on individuals, communities, and the broader economy. We want to hear directly from parents and students, school communities, educators, and experts about what is working…

  • Education Training, Youth
  • 05/06/2026
  • 12:34
Department of the House of Representatives

My First Speech Competition 2026 open for entries

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Milton Dick MP, today launched the Department of the House of Representatives’ My First Speech competition. Imagine yourself as a newly elected member of the House of Representatives. You have Parliament’s attention. What will you say? This national competition invites students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to envision themselves as newly elected members of the House of Representatives and write a 3-minute speech, that focusses on a topic they’re passionate about. One winning entrant from each year group will win an expenses-paid trip to Canberra to present their speech at…

  • Education Training, Entertainment
  • 05/06/2026
  • 12:19
National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)

NIDA Open Day – Saturday 13 June

Key Facts: NIDA is hosting an Open Day on Saturday 13 June at its Kensington, NSW campus, with a live stream also available online,…

  • Contains:

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.