The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from participants of Asian Australian Voices on Wednesday 5 November 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond.
Committee Chair, Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘Australia’s multicultural identity is a national asset. Our people, their lived experiences, and cultural knowledge are tools of influence that must be represented in our institutions. While we have more work to do to fully break the ‘bamboo ceiling’, Asian Australians have increasingly broken through into positions of leadership in our national institutions in recent times and have directly demonstrated the Asia Capabilities latent in our diaspora communities.’
‘However, these diaspora communities require support to build and maintain their Asia capabilities too. Asia capabilities, particularly language fluency, tends to diminish through the generations and requires real effort to maintain. Structured learning can increase impact of all forms of tacit cultural knowledge.’
‘The Committee is looking forward to hearing firsthand perspectives in identifying structural and societal barriers to building Asia capability. This hearing will examine not only how to make the most of the existing Asia capabilities of our diaspora communities, but also how we can maintain and develop these capabilities into the future.’
Submissions to the inquiry are open until Friday 7 November 2025 and the Committee will schedule further public hearings soon.
Public hearing
Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Time: 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra
A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live audio stream of the hearings will also be available on the APH website.
Media inquiries
Hon Tim Watts MP, Chair
[email protected]
(03) 9687 7661
For background information
Committee Secretariat
02 6277 4573
[email protected]
