The Environment and Communications Committees cover the following portfolios: Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (Communications, Sport and the Arts functions only).

Membership

Legislation Membership

Considers bills referred by the Senate.

Chair Senator Varun Ghosh Contact

Deputy Chair Senator Sarah Hanson-Young Contact

Member Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah Contact

Member Senator the Hon Carol Brown Contact

Member Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson Contact

Member Senator Dean Smith Contact

Substitute Member Senator Peter Whish-Wilson Contact

References Membership

Considers all other matters referred by the Senate.

Chair Senator Sarah Hanson-Young Contact

Deputy Chair Senator Varun Ghosh Contact

Member Senator the Hon Carol Brown Contact

Member Senator Ross Cadell Contact

Member Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson Contact

Member Senator Dean Smith Contact

Current inquiries

Greenwashing Submissions ClosedNational Cultural Policy Submissions ClosedTriple Zero service outage Submissions ClosedEnvironment Protection Reform Bill 2025 and six related bills CompletedTelecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 Submissions ClosedExtended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 Submissions ClosedArtificial intelligence and data centres Accepting SubmissionsAustralia Post retail network Submissions ClosedInteractive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 and National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026 [provisions] Submissions ClosedOnline Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026 Submissions Closed

Last updated 13 Aug 2026 · sourced from the official committee register.