Health Committee holding its final hearings for the alcohol and other drugs inquiry
House of Representatives
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability will hold its final public hearings on Thursday 28 May and Friday 29 May 2026 for its inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs.
The witnesses appearing will include peak bodies for the alcohol industry, academic researchers, and national service providers for drug and alcohol harm intervention, including charities and Aboriginal health organisations. The Committee will also hear from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Federal Police.
Committee Chair, Dr Mike Freelander MP, said that “alcohol and other drug-related harm negatively affect tens of thousands of Australians each year. This inquiry is nearing completion, and the Committee is looking forward to receiving further insights at these final hearings to help guide the deliberations for our report.’
Dr Freelander further commented that ‘the Committee will seek to make meaningful policy recommendations to the Government in our report to enhance existing protections, interventions, and recovery support for individuals, families, and communities suffering from the impacts of drug and alcohol abuse.’
Date: Thursday, 28 May and Friday, 29 May 2026
Time: Thursday – 9.45am–11.15am AEST
Friday – 8.00am – 1.00pm AEST
Location: Committee room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra and online (see below)
Hearing programs can be downloaded at: Public Hearings – alcohol and other drugs inquiry
A live audio broadcast of these hearings can be accessed at www.aph.gov.au/live.
Further information about the Committee’s inquiry is available at the Committee’s website.
Media inquiries
Todd Steele, Office of Dr Mike Freelander MP – Committee Chair
[email protected]
(02) 4620 0293
For background information
Committee Secretariat
02 6277 4145
[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.
