The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold its first public hearing on Thursday, 26 March, as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.
The Committee will hear from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), whose submission highlights the role of critical minerals within the Australian Government’s $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia Plan (FMA). DISR notes that ‘critical minerals are a cornerstone of the FMA, with critical minerals processing identified as a priority under the National Interest Framework due to its supply chain vulnerabilities’. The DISR submission also highlights the potential growth from increasing raw exports of critical minerals, and the further opportunities in expanding downstream refining and processing.
Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said: ‘Critical minerals are a cornerstone of the modern economy—critical to developments in AI, defence and renewable energy. They present enormous opportunities for Australia, but also real challenges. Ensuring the social licence of critical mineral projects will be key to maximising benefits while minimising impacts.’
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: Thursday, 26 March 2026
Time: 9.45am – 11.00am (AEDT)
Location: Committee Room 1R2, 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.
Media inquiries
Rosa Grine, Media Advisor, Office of Meryl Swanson MP
[email protected]
0406 223 537
For background information
Committee Secretariat
02 6277 4500
[email protected]
For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
