This Interim Report focuses on the legal framework in Australia and its effectiveness in protecting religious freedom, drawing on the evidence received in the public hearings and in relevant submissions. The SubCommittee takes the view that it would be most appropriate to review and report on religious freedom in our own country before turning to...

There is no place for the death penalty in the modern world. State execution is a barbaric act that demeans the State that carries it out. The death penalty is cruel and inhumane, and is inevitably associated with miscarriages of justice, the inadvertent execution of innocents, and the disproportionate execution of the poor and ethnic...

In 2014, the Minister for Foreign Affairs launched a new development policy that changed the way Australian aid is to be delivered. Increasing engagement with our private sector, both in Australia and in developing countries, promoting gender equity and refocusing on the Indo-Pacific region is now underpinning our work to help reduce poverty through enabling...

This report argues that the operations of Australia's diplomatic network are challenged by a lack of funding, the shift of global power towards Asia, the impact of technology, and the rising importance of public diplomacy. It argues that there is an urgent need to rebuild Australia’s diplomatic network. This report follows the findings of two...

This report covers the ability of the ADF to maintain air superiority in our region to 2020. It includes: capability planning in relation to the acquisition of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF); any capability gap which may arise from a delay in its purchase; a comparison of the JSF and the FA-22 Raptor; and an...