House debates

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Government Responses to Committee Reports

1:02 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the House adopt the following resolution:That:

(1)
Within a period of six months from the presentation in the House of a report by a House or Joint Committee, the Government shall present its response to the recommendations contained in the report to the House.
(2)
If a period of six months has elapsed from a report being presented and a response has not been presented, the relevant Minister (or Minister representing the Minister) shall:
(a)
present to the House at the next available opportunity a signed statement stating the reasons for the delay in presentation of the response, and
(b)
make himself or herself available to appear at the next reasonably available opportunity following a request by the relevant committee to answer its questions on that statement.
(3)
If a response has not been presented in the required time and an explanatory statement has not been presented and questions on the statement not answered to the satisfaction of the committee, the committee may bring the matter to the attention, if appropriate, of the Auditor-General for assistance in resolving matters referred to in the report or to the Speaker for assistance in resolving the response process.

Question agreed to.