House debates

Thursday, 22 June 2006

Committees

Government Responses: Report

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

For the information of honourable members, I present a schedule of outstanding government responses to reports of House of Representatives and joint committees, incorporating reports tabled and details of government responses made in the period between 8 December 2005, the date of the last schedule, and 22 June 2006. Copies of the schedule are being made available to honourable members and it will be incorporated in Hansard.

The schedule read as follows—

THE SPEAKER’S SCHEDULE OF OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO REPORTS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND JOINT COMMITTEES

(also incorporating reports tabled and details of Government responses made in the period between 8 December 2005, the date of the last schedule, and 22 June 2006)

22 June 2006

THE SPEAKER’S SCHEDULE OF OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO COMMITTEE REPORTS

On 22 June 2006, the Government presented its response to a schedule of outstanding Government responses to parliamentary committee reports tabled in the House of Representatives on 8 December 2005.

It is Government policy to respond to parliamentary committee reports within three months of their presentation. In 1978 the Fraser Government implemented a policy of responding in the House by ministerial statement within six months of the tabling of a committee report. In 1983, the Hawke Government reduced this response time to three months but continued the practice of responding by ministerial statement. The Keating Government generally responded by means of a letter to a committee chair, with the letter being tabled in the House at the earliest opportunity.  In 1996, the Howard Government affirmed the commitment to respond to relevant parliamentary committee reports within three months of their presentation.  The Government also undertook to clear, as soon as possible, the backlog of reports arising from previous Parliaments.

The attached schedule lists committee reports tabled and government responses to House and joint committee reports made since the last schedule was presented on 8 December 2006. It also lists reports for which the House has received no government response. A schedule of outstanding responses will continue to be presented at approximately six monthly intervals, generally in the last sitting weeks of the winter and spring sittings.

The schedule does not include advisory reports on bills introduced into the House of Representatives unless the reports make recommendations which are wider than the provisions of the bills and which could be the subject of a government response. The Government’s response to these reports is apparent in the resumption of consideration of the relevant legislation by the House. Also not included are reports from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, the House of Representatives Committee of Members’ Interests, the Committee of Privileges, the Publications Committee (other than reports on inquiries) and the Selection Committee. Government responses to reports of the Public Works Committee are normally reflected in motions for the approval of works after the relevant report has been presented and considered.  Reports from other committees which do not include recommendations are only included when first tabled.

Reports of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit primarily make administrative recommendations but may make policy recommendations. A government response is required in respect of such policy recommendations made by the committee. However, responses to administrative recommendations are made in the form of an Executive Minute provided to, and subsequently tabled by, the committee. Agencies responding to administrative recommendations are required to provide an Executive Minute within 6 months of tabling a report. The committee monitors the provision of such responses.  The schedule only includes reports with policy recommendations.

22 June 2006

Description of Report

Date Tabled

or Published1

Date of Government Response2

Responded in Period Specified3

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (House, Standing)

Unlocking the future: The report of the Inquiry into the Reeves Review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976

30-08-99

No response to date

No

Many ways forward: Report of the inquiry into capacity building and service delivery in indigenous communities

21-06-04

No response to date 4

No

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Inquiry into future water supplies for Australia’s rural industries and communities – Interim Report

05-05-04

No response to date 5

No

Getting water right(s) – The future of rural Australia

21-06-04

No response to date 5

No

Taking control: a national approach to pest animals

28-11-05

No response to date 5

No

ASIO, ASIS and DSD

Private review of agency security arrangements

13-10-03

No response to date 6

No

ASIO’s Questioning and Detention Powers - Review of the operation, effectiveness and implications of Division 3 Part III of the ASIO Act 1979

30-11-05

29-03-06

No

Australian Crime Commission

Cybercrime

24-03-04

09-02-06

No

Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude

24-06-04

No response to date 6

No

Supplementary report to the Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude

11-08-05

No response to date 7

No

Review of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002

10-11-05

No response to date 6

No

Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (House, Standing)

From reel to unreal: future opportunities for Australia’s film, animation, special effects and electronic games industries

21-06-04

No response to date 8

No

Digital Television: Who’s Buying It?

13-02-06

No response to date 9

No

Corporations and Securities

Report on aspects of the regulation of proprietary companies

08-03-01

No response to date 10

No

Corporations and Financial Services

Report on the regulations and ASIC policy statements made under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001

23-10-02

No response to date 11

No

Inquiry into the review of the Managed Investments Act 1998

12-12-02

No response to date 12

No

Inquiry into Regulation 7.1.29 in Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (No.3), Statutory Rules 2003 No.85

26-06-03

No response to date 11

No

Money matters in the bush-Inquiry into the level of banking & financial services in rural, regional & remote areas of Australia

15-01-04

No response to date 13

No

Report on the ATM fee structure

15-01-04

No response to date 14

No

Corporations amendment regulations 2003

24-03-04

No response to date 11

No

Corporations Amendment Regulations 7.1.29A, 7.1.35A and 7.1.40(h)

02-06-04

No response to date 11

No

Exposure draft of the Corporations Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2005

16-06-05

08-12-05

No

Property Investment Advice – Safe as Houses?

23-06-05

No response to date 15

No

Timeshare: The Price of Leisure

05-09-05

No response to date 16

No

Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission

13-02-06

No response to date

No

Corporate responsibility: Managing risk and creating value

21-06-06

Time has not expired

Economics, Finance and Public Administration

Numbers on the run: Review of the ANAO Report no. 37 1998-1999 on the management of Tax File Numbers

28-08-00

No response to date 17

No

Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual report 2003

21-06-04

No response to date 18

No

Improving the superannuation savings of people under 40

19-06-06

Time has not expired

Electoral Matters

The 2004 Federal Election: Report of the Inquiry into the Conduct of the 2004 Federal Election and Matters Related Thereto

10-10-05

No response to date 19

No

Funding and Disclosure: Inquiry into disclosure of donations to political parties and candidates

30-03-06

Time has not expired

Employment and Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation

Working for Australia’s future: increasing participation in the work force

14-03-05

No response to date 20

No

Making it work: Inquiry into independent contracting and labour hire arrangements

17-08-05

No response to date 21

No

Environment and Heritage

Public good conservation: Our challenge for the 21st century

27-09-01

No response to date 22

No

Sustainable cities

12-09-05

No response to date 22

No

Family and Community Services

Road to recovery: Report on the inquiry into substance abuse in Australian communities

08-09-03

No response to date 22

No

Family and Human Services

Overseas Adoption in Australian: Report on the inquiry into adoption of children from overseas

21-11-05

No response to date 23

No

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (Joint, Standing)

Inquiry into Australia’s Maritime Strategy

21-06-04

25-05-06

No

Australia’s engagement with the World Trade Organisation

09-06-04

16-02-06

No

Reform of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights

12-09-05

No response required

Australia’s Human Rights Dialogue Process

12-09-05

02-03-06

No

Review of the Defence Annual Report 2003-04

10-10-05

27-03-06

No

Report of the Delegation to the United States 28 June to 13 July 2005

11-10-05

No response required

Australia’s free trade agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the United States: progress to date and lessons for the future

07-11-05

No response to date 24

No

Parliamentary delegation visit to Australian Defence Forces deployed to support the rehabilitation of Iraq - 22 to 28 October 2005

22-05-06

No response required

Australia’s Defence Relations with the United States

22-05-06

Time has not expired

Expanding Australia’s trade and investment relations with North Africa

22-05-06

Time has not expired

Industry, Science and Resources

Getting a better return: Inquiry into increasing the value added to Australian raw materials second report

24-09-01

No response to date 25

No

Intelligence and Security

Review of the listing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)

26-04-06

Time has not expired

Legal and Constitutional Affairs (House, Standing)

The third paragraph of section 53 of the Constitution

30-11-95

No response to date

No

Modern-day usage of averments in customs prosecutions

31-05-04

09-05-06

No

Inquiry into crime in the community: victims, offenders and fear of crime

11-08-04

No response to date 26

No

Exposure Draft of the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Bill 2005

18-08-05

08-12-05

No

Review of technological protection measures exceptions

01-03-06

No response to date

No

Migration

Review of Audit Report No. 1 2005-2006: Management of Detention Centre Contracts

Part B

05-12-05

No response to date 27

No

National Capital and External Territories (Joint, Standing)

Norfolk Island electoral matters

26-08-02

No response to date 28

No

Antarctica: Australia’s Pristine Frontier. Report on the adequacy of funding for Australia’s Antarctic Program

23-06-05

No response to date 22

No

Norfolk Island Financial Sustainability: The Challenge – Sink or Swim

01-12-05

No response to date 28

No

Current and future governance arrangements for the Indian Ocean Territories

13-06-06

Time has not expired

Native Title and the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Land Account

Report on the operation of Native Title Representative bodies

21-03-06

No response to date

No

Examination of annual reports 2004-2005

21-03-06

No response to date

No

Procedure

Arrangements for second reading speeches

01-12-03

07-12-05

No

House Estimates: consideration of the annual estimates by the House of Representatives

13-10-03

No response to date 29

No

Media coverage of House proceedings including the Chamber, Main committee and committees (Final report)

10-10-05

No response to date 29

No

Maintenance of the Standing and Sessional Orders – (First report)

27-03-06

29-03-06 30

Yes

Public Accounts and Audit

Corporate governance and accountability arrangements for Commonwealth government business enterprises, December 1999

(Report No. 372)

16-02-00

No response to date 31

No

Access of indigenous Australians to law and justice services (Report No. 403)

22-06-05

02-03-06

No

Review of auditor-general’s report 2003-2004: Third and fourth quarters; and first and second quarters of 2004-2005 (Report 404)

07-12-05

No response to date 32

No

Annual report 2004-2005 (Report 405)

28-11-05

No response required

Comments

No comments