The FPÖ calls four additional witnesses, including the Interior Minister's cabinet head, to testify in the Christian Pilnacek investigation.

Guardian Australia's investigation reveals a concerning trend of AI-generated misinformation infiltrating Australia's parliamentary inquiry process. Dozens of policy submissions contain fabricated references, incorrect citations, and invented studies attributed to real academics. Large language models (LLMs) are producing 'hallucinations'—plausible but false content—that mimic real research, risking poor policy decisions. Experts warn that AI tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI summaries are compounding the issue by creating fake references that appear legitimate. One submission falsely attributed research to University of Queensland professor Divna Haslam, while another cited non-existent work by Sydney academic Nicole Gurran. The problem extends to climate change inquiries, with fake citations attributed to journalists and academics. While LLMs have amplified this issue, the core challenge remains ensuring transparency and accuracy in research. Calls for new guidelines emphasize the need for truthfulness in parliamentary submissions to protect democratic institutions.

A parliamentary inquiry is investigating the unusual financial practices of Redeemer Baptist School, which has faced serious allegations of abuse, misconduct, and unethical student treatment. Witnesses testified to an education committee about claims of financial impropriety, including a $140 million property portfolio and volunteer teachers paid as little as $23,000 annually without employment benefits. Allegations include sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, with one student recalling her sister being forced into a dog collar and pulled around by a lead. Accountants accused the school of evading taxes through its charitable status, while trustees control all organisational finances. The inquiry follows media revelations and calls for further scrutiny after the Department of Communities and Justice expressed concern over the evidence presented. The school operates under the same leadership as the Redeemer Baptist Church, with around 200 members living on its premises. Advocacy groups urge victims to seek support through helplines like Lifeline or beyondblue.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) has spent $90,000 on external public relations and legal advice for a parliamentary inquiry examining its troubled vehicle fleet, drawing sharp criticism from Members of Parliament.

Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady and other senior executives are scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry in Canberra following the significant nationwide network outage that occurred earlier in July. The disruption affected a range of essential services, including triple-zero emergency calls, business operations and parts of the public transport network, prompting scrutiny from lawmakers over the resilience and reliability of Australia's telecommunications infrastructure. According to the available portion of the article, the inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding the outage, its impact on the public and critical services, and Telstra's response to the incident. The hearing represents an important opportunity for parliamentarians to question the company's leadership about what caused the failure, how it was managed, and what measures will be implemented to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future. The article also briefly notes another political story involving differing responses from One Nation and the Seven Network regarding Pauline Hanson's association with British far-right figure Tommy Robinson, although this is presented as a separate topic rather than the primary focus. Because the article is behind a subscription paywall, only introductory details are publicly available. Nevertheless, the central news item is the parliamentary examination of Telstra's handling of a major telecommunications outage that disrupted essential services and raised broader questions about the resilience of Australia's communications networks.

Former health secretary Wes Streeting has called for senior NHS staff involved in the largest maternity scandal in NHS history to be summoned before Parliament. The Ockenden review of Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust revealed that hundreds of babies and mothers suffered avoidable harm, with 66 senior colleagues approached but only 35 interviewed. Streeting condemned the 'cowardice' of those who refused to engage, arguing it reflects a 'cover-up culture' in the NHS. Whistleblower Jack Hawkins, whose daughter died during childbirth, questioned whether Parliament was the right forum for further inquiries, while families of affected patients demanded accountability. The government has announced measures to compel NHS staff to participate in future reviews, with non-compliance risking up to two years in prison. The review highlighted systemic failures, including delayed interventions leading to preventable deaths, and called for a statutory public inquiry to ensure transparency. Families and campaigners stress the need for accountability without jeopardizing ongoing police investigations into the trust's maternity services.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is under scrutiny over claims regarding the purchase of his £1.4 million home in Surrey. The party stated that Farage used a fee earned from appearing on the ITV reality series 'I'm A Celebrity' to fund the property without a mortgage in 2024. However, company accounts for his firm, Thorn In The Side Limited, suggest that the income remained in his business account following the purchase. The situation is further complicated by a £5 million gift Farage received from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne in April 2024. Reform UK maintains that the gift was personal and unconditional, and therefore did not require declaration under parliamentary rules. Land registry documents confirm the property was paid for in cash on 10 May 2024. The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has launched an inquiry into whether Farage failed to declare the gift appropriately. Critics, including Labour chair Anna Turley, have called for transparency, accusing Farage of evading scrutiny. Farage has defended the gift as a reward for his campaigning work on Brexit and stated he has multiple sources of income. Harborne has since become Reform UK's largest donor, contributing £12 million to the party in 2025. The investigation centres on the legality and transparency of both the home purchase and the acceptance of the substantial gift.

A parliamentary inquiry in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is set to examine the effectiveness of controlled activity orders, which empower the government to enforce lease conditions on property owners. The inquiry follows widespread community frustration over long-dormant sites that have become eyesores and failed to meet their intended purposes. Notable examples include the Big Splash waterpark in Macquarie, the Hawker Tennis Centre, and the Richardson shops, where a supermarket closed in 2019. ACT Greens leader Jo Clay, chairing the inquiry, emphasized the need for community input on improving compliance and enforcement in the planning system. Over 7,300 residents signed a petition demanding the cancellation of the Big Splash Crown lease, while more than 1,200 called for the termination of the Hawker Tennis Centre lease. The committee will assess whether controlled activity orders are effective in ensuring site maintenance, compliance with leases, and preventing unauthorized developments. Planning Minister Chris Steel noted that while orders were issued for the Big Splash site, financial penalties were not applied due to the lack of immediate incentives. Prosecution remains an option but is seen as a lengthy process. The inquiry aims to address gaps in the current system and improve outcomes for both the community and property owners.