David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the 6th report of 2016 of the Selection of Bills Committee and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 6 OF 2016

15 September 2016

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Senator David Bushby (Government Whip, Chair)

Senator Anne Urquhart (Opposition Whip)

Senator Brian Burston (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Whip)

Senator Derryn Hinch (Derryn Hinch's Justice Party Whip)

Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore (Nick Xenophon Team Whip)

Senator Rachel Siewert (Australian Greens Whip)

Senator John Williams (The Nationals Whip)

Secretary: Chris Reid

6277 3020

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 6 OF 2016

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 14 September 2016 at 7.37 pm.

2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a) the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 2016 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) the provisions of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Country of Origin) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 10 October 2016 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c) the provisions of the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2016 and the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 3 and 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) the provisions of the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 10 October 2016 (see appendices 5 and 6 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e) the provisions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 7 and 8 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(f) the provisions of the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendix 9 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(g) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 10 October 2016 (see appendix 10 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(h) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Income Tax Relief) Bill 2016 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 10 October 2016 (see appendix 11 for a statement of reasons for referral).

3. The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:

National Cancer Screening Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2016

The committee recommends accordingly.

4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Bill 2016

(David Bushby)

Chair

15 September 2016

APPENDIX 1

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Australian Broadcasting Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To continue to investigate the proposed Amendments and to identify any other measures that may promote regional news services and journalism in rural and regional Australia.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Regional journalists, Regional; residents, regional businesses, regional representatives.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Various

Possible reporting date:

Wednesday 30 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Bridget McKenzie

APPENDIX 2

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Competition and Consumer Amendment (Country of Origin) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Industry, food producers, consumer organisations.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

26 September 2016

Possible reporting date:

10 October 2016

(signed)

Senator Kakoschke-Moore

APPENDIX 3

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To seek information about the impact of the Bill on children, families and providers to facilitate informed consideration of the Bill.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Early Childhood Australia

Australian Child Care Alliance

National Outside School Hours Care Association

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care

Home Child Care Alliance

National Association of Mobile Services

Children and Young People with Disability Australia

The Parenthood

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the Committee

Possible reporting date:

22 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Urquhart

APPENDIX 4

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The Australian Greens are concerned that the introduction of the activity test will reduce access to subsidised childcare for vulnerable children.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

First week of October. 1 day sufficient.

Possible reporting date:

21 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Rachel Siewert

APPENDIX 5

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Potential conflict with Australia's human rights obligations and potential issues with proportionality.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Please see submitters to lapsed inquiry into this Bill.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

27 October 2016

Possible reporting date:

11 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Rachel Siewert

APPENDIX 6

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

For completion of a report that was previously referred in March 2016, scrutinising the impact of legislative change on the sponsored family visa program.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

Monday 10 October

(signed)

Senator Anne Urquhart

APPENDIX 7

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Examination of purported argument for linkage between savings measures and NDIS funding

Possible submissions or evidence from:

People with Disability Australia, Australian Council of Social Services, Australian Cross Disability Alliance

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

On the papers

Possible reporting date:

7 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Rachel Siewert

APPENDIX 8

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

More information is required to understand the purpose and operation of the proposed Fund.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Department of Social Services

Department of the Treasury

Department of Finance

Disability Organisations

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

7 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Anne Urquhart

APPENDIX 9

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budge! Repair) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

More information is required on the impacts of these measures on those affected.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Department of Social Services

Department of the Treasury

Multicultural organisations

Welfare organisations

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

7 November 2016

(signed)

Senator Anne Urquhart

APPENDIX 10

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To examine the economic impact of the Bill.

To examine the social impact of the Bill.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Economists.

Business groups.

Civil society groups.

Trade unions.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Weeks starting 19 September, 26 September, 3 October

Possible reporting date:

Week starting 10 October

(signed)

Senator Rachel Siewert

APPENDIX 11

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Treasury Laws Amendment (Income Tax Relief) Bill 2016

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To examine the economic impact of the Bill.

To examine the social impact of the Bill.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Economists.

Business groups.

Civil society groups.

Trade unions.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Weeks starting 19 September, 26 September, 3 October.

Possible reporting date:

Week starting 10 October

(signed)

Senator Rachel Siewert

I move that the report be adopted.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of Senator Gallagher, who is unavoidably absent at a press conference in relation to the government's new superannuation package, I move:

At the end of the motion, add, "but,

(1) in respect of the provisions of the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2016 and the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2016 the Education and Employment Legislation Committee report by 22 November 2016;

(2) in respect of the provisions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016 the Community Affairs Legislation Committee report by 7 November 2016; and

(3) in respect of the provisions of the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2016, the Community Affairs Legislation Committee report by 7 November 2016.".

The amendment seeks to refer three different packages of legislation for committee consideration. They are the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2015, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016 and the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2015.

We do believe that these bills are worthy of consideration. I will make some comments in relation to the child care package. This government has had a number of positions in relation to child care. Senators may recall prior to the election in the last term of government the chopping and changing on child care that was the government's policy and then subsequently we were going to have a talk about it. The government has put forward a bill. We do consider it is important to understand the impact of the bill on children and families but also on childcare providers in order for the Senate to be able to consider the bill in a fully informed way. We also think a Senate committee will allow consultation with the sector on potential improvements to the bill.

Similarly, the Labor Party does wish to consider more closely the operations the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016. We want to understand better the purpose and operation of the proposed bill. Finally, we believe there is additional consideration required in relation to the impact on those Australians who are affected by the budget repair bill. We commend the amendment circulated in the name of Senator Gallagher to the chamber.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the following amendment to Senator Gallagher's proposed amendment:

Paragraphs (1) and (3) omit the dates, substitute "10 October 2016''

We are not seeking to amend the second part of Senator Gallagher's proposed amendment for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Savings Fund Special Account Bill 2016 to report by 7 November 2016. But we are proposing to bring forward the reporting dates for the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2015 and also for the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2015. Both of those packages have previously been to inquiry before Senate committee before the last election. We think that this exercise would largely be duplicating that. But given there is a proposition that they be referred for committee, our proposition to the chamber is that the reporting dates for those two inquiries be brought forward in the recognition that there have been significant inquiries recently to both those packages.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens will not be supporting the government's amendments to this amendment. We will be supporting the original amendment because we do think that these bills should be subject to committee inquiry, in the case where there has been one, because of the important issues that have subsequently come up since the last inquiry into these bills. Certainly for (2), we require enough time to look seriously at this issue because it is a significant change to the current arrangements.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I indicate in relation to the amendment to my amendment moved by Senator Fifield, we are not inclined either to accept it. We would countenance a later October date but we do not think having both of them report by 10 October is a reasonable proposition.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Fifield to the amendment moved by Senator Wong to Senator Bushby's motion be agreed to.

The question now is that the amendment, as amended, moved by Senator Wong be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that the motion moved by Senator Bushby, as amended, be agreed to.

Question agreed to.