Senate Community Affairs References Committee (part 1 of 2)
25 June 2026
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Senate Community Affairs References Committee Australian Parliament
14:02 - 16:09
Speaker 5
All right. Good morning, everyone. I declare open this hearing of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee's inquiry into epilepsy in Australia. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past and present. And I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.
The committee will be conducting today's hearing via video conference and in person. I'm senator Penny Allman Payne, chair of the committee, and I have with me senators Whitaker, Anand Raja, and Askew in the room, and senator Antic and Rustin will be joining us online. These are public proceedings being video streamed live via the parliament's website, and a hand sub transcript is being made. I remind all witnesses that in giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence given to a committee, and such action may be treated by the senate as a contempt.
It is also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence. Witnesses also have a right to request to be heard in camera. If a witness objects to answering a question, they should state the ground upon which the objection is made, and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer having regard to the ground which is claimed. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. I remind senators of their obligations under the behavior code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness, and respect.
And I remind committee members and witnesses who are appearing via teleconference and who are not speaking, if you could please mute your microphones. I now welcome representatives from Epilepsy Australia. Thank you very much for appearing before the committee today. I understand that information on parliamentary privilege and the protection and obligations of witnesses giving evidence to senate committees has been provided to you. So for the benefit of the Hansard record, if you could please state your full name and the capacity in which you're appearing today, and if we can start on my left.
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