The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold public hearings in Melbourne and Horsham as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.
On Monday, 19 October 2026, in Melbourne, the Committee will hear from a range of stakeholders, including mining and mineral processing companies, academics, engagement professionals, and the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations, about the social licence requirements and economic potential of critical minerals projects.
On Wednesday, 21 October 2026, in Horsham, the Committee will meet with representatives of local communities and local governments in a region shaped economically and socially by agriculture to explore the challenges created by potential land-use conflict.
Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said: 'The Committee understands that for some parts of Australia critical minerals presents significant challenges as well as important opportunities. Through the upcoming hearings in Melbourne and Horsham, the Committee will explore both the challenges and the opportunities presented by the integration of critical minerals with existing industries in established farming regions.'
