Committee seeks submissions in August 2026

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence has begun two inquiries into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2024-25 and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Annual Report 2024-25.

One core function of the committee is to review the administration and expenditure of Australian defence agencies, including their annual reports.

Committee chair Senator Deborah O’Neill said, “Robust parliamentary oversight ensures capability, accountability, and public trust in Australia’s defence agencies.”

Senator O’Neill also said the two annual report inquiries mark the start of the committee’s oversight work on the 2024-25 reports.

Senator Deborah O’Neill

For the Department of Defence inquiry, the committee listed four focus areas in the 2024-25 report review.

Those areas are uplift of sovereign defence industry, AUKUS Pillar I and Pillar II, uncrewed and autonomous systems, and supersonic and hypersonic propulsion systems with related testing infrastructure.

The committee has asked for submissions to the Defence inquiry by Friday, 14 August 2026.

For the Department of Veterans’ Affairs inquiry, the committee will examine departmental claims handling processes, outcomes and performance.

It will also review progress on recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

In the veterans’ inquiry, the committee listed legislative harmonisation in the Veterans’ Affairs portfolio as another area of focus.

A further topic is the establishment and operations of the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission.

The committee has asked for submissions to the Veterans’ Affairs inquiry by Friday, 28 August 2026.

According to the committee, more information, the terms of reference, and details on how to make a submission are available on the committee’s website.

Both inquiries sit within the committee’s role overseeing how Australian defence agencies are run and how public money is spent.