Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, I seek leave to make a statement on the Law Enforcement Integrity Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, in discharge of the committee's requirement to provide an advisory report on the bill and to present a copy of my statement.

Leave granted.

On 20 September the House of Representatives Selection Committee referred the Law Enforcement Integrity Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 to our committee for inquiry and report. The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee was also referred this bill by the Senate for inquiry. Schedule 1 of the Law Enforcement Integrity Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 sets out the substance of the changes.

This schedule of the bill gives effect to recommendations made by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity in its 2011 report on integrity testing. As such, the Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee considers that it is more appropriate for the original committee to inquire into this bill to examine whether it effectively implements the recommendations. Should the House wish to seek committee scrutiny of this bill, it is suggested that this bill be referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity for inquiry and report to both houses of parliament.

I apologise. I think my deputy chair might have wished to make a comment on the previous report. She might be on the way to speak on this one.

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs I present the committee's advisory report on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Further 2012 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2012, together with the minutes of proceedings, and I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with the report.

Leave granted.

I rise today to table the advisory report of the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Further 2012 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2012. The House Selection Committee, in their infinite wisdom, referred this bill to our committee for inquiry and advisory report on 13 September, with specific reference to examining the drafting changes relating to the Schoolkids Bonus, child support legislation and the Social Security Appeals Tribunal. These issues are dealt with in schedules 3 to 6 of the bill.

In line with the Selection Committee's referral the committee examined the drafting of the amendments in schedules 3 to 6 and their consistency with the objectives and the policy intent of the relevant legislation. The committee found that the amendments contained in schedules 3 to 6 do not represent a change in existing or introduced policies of the government. The amendments predominantly represent clarification of provisions and technical changes to give effect to payment assistance. Schedule 3 makes some operational changes to the social Security Appeals Tribunal, enhancing appeals provisions, strengthening privacy protection and introducing measures to protect life or welfare in cases of risk.

The committee—this is important—unanimously recommended that this House pass the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Further 2012 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2012. I repeat that the committee, made up of people from both sides of the House, unanimously recommended that this House pass the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Further 2012 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2012.

I commend this report to the House.