A national parliamentary inquiry into critical minerals will hold a public hearing in Melbourne on Monday 21 October, with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries taking evidence from mining companies, industry experts and regional communities. The inquiry will examine the economic potential of Australia’s critical minerals sector and how project development interacts with existing land uses, including agriculture and regional townships. Outcomes could influence future approvals, land access frameworks and infrastructure planning for Victorian and national critical minerals projects.

Froydis Cameron-Johansson, a former senior executive at Rio Tinto and Anglo American who began her career at Shell, has been appointed the International Council on Mining and Metals’ first woman president and CEO, effective 23 November. She succeeds Rohitesh Dhawan, who will remain to support the transition until end-2026 after overseeing the creation of the Global Tailings Management Institute and the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative. Her mandate centres on tightening industry-wide mining standards, accountability and ESG performance across critical metals and minerals value chains.

More than £2.2bn in unspent Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions held by planning authorities in England and Wales could be redirected to tackle the growing local road maintenance backlog, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Better Roads says. MPs want the government to simplify rules and improve transparency so councils can more readily use CIL funds for carriageway resurfacing, pothole repairs and structural renewals. For highway engineers, this signals potential medium-term funding for asset management plans and heavier interventions beyond reactive patching.