A pinch and a sub for the first day of the 6th month

And then it was June

I don't know about you, but you hoot and half the year is almost gone.

Today is a public holiday in the nation's capital, giving anyone tracking what's happening with submarines an extra day to absorb the AUKUS announcement by the Australian, UK and US defence ministers, who met in Singapore over the weekend ( AU version (minister.defence.gov.au), US version (war.gov)). It makes for an extra packed list of items Senators will be going after in this week's Group B Budget Estimates hearings which includes the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade committee.

Before summarising the week ahead, if you're tracking policy matters for First Nations people, submissions (the other type of sub) close today for the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (aph.gov.au). The inquiry has already received 290 submissions and is expecting many more today.

Tomorrow through until Thursday afternoon, the House of Representatives will be in session with the main focus being debates on Budget and other bills. This will be the last chance for MPs to control the narratives before the Senate can debate the bills from 22 June.

Tomorrow until Friday afternoon is the continuation of Budget Estimates, with Group B now at the table. For tomorrow's programs, each starting at 9am:

• Community Affairs - focusing on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority, and the Inspector-General of Aged Care.
• Economics - focusing on the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, CSIRO, and Industry Innovation and Science Australia
• Education and Employment - focusing on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Fair Work Commission, and Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade - focusing on the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Australian War Memorial, Repatriation Medical Authority, and opening session for Department of Defence.

The hundreds of Questions on Notice recorded from Group A's hearings is indicating there will be even more this week - I will provide an out of session edition of Krafted. early next week that gives you a summary of this in prep for the next sitting week (22 June, both the House and Senate).

A quick note about my time in Japan last week. It was indeed to start scoping for Statekraft's presence there but to also observe how the Japanese government and people are maintaining a focus on democracy and public policy at a time when, as they describe, there hasn't been as much volatility in that part of the world or globally since the end of World War II. As you might expect, it was fascinating and eye opening - Australia could take some leaves from their book.

— Mia