Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present Report No. 10 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday 20 March 2023. The report will be printed in the Hansard for today, and the committee's determinations will appear on tomorrow's Notice Paper. Copies of the report have been placed on the table.

The report read as follows—

Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business

1. The Committee met in private session on Tuesday, 7 March 2023.

2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 7 March 2023, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 20 March 2023, as follows:

Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MR BANDT: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related purposes. (Fair Work Amendment (Right to Disconnect) Bill 2023)

(Notice given 15 February 2023.)

Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to s tanding order 142.

2 DR REID: To move—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government's $3 billion in funding in the 2022 October budget for the infrastructure that residents of New South Wales need, including;

(a) $40 million to upgrade roads across the Central Coast;

(b) $400 million for the New Richmond Bridge;

(c) $17.4 million for upgrades to Brindabella Road;

(d) $50 million to plan for the Castlereagh Connection; and

(e) $12.5 million for upgrades to Blue Mountains roads,

(2) notes this funding will make journeys quicker, and make sure residents of New South Wales can get home to their families safely, and comes after a decade of neglect for New South Wales infrastructure by the former Government; and

(3) thanks the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Prime Minister for working to deliver for New South Wales.

(Notice given 6 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Dr Reid 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

3 DR HAINES: To move—That this House:

(1) recognises that:

(a) the Government has set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050; and

(b) Australia's agriculture sector currently generates 16 per cent of Australia's national emissions;

(2) notes that climate change represents a serious and present threat to the Australian agricultural sector's continued productivity and profitability, including on the international market;

(3) further recognises that:

(a) the Government is continuing to support a carbon market through the use of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), including under the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Bill 2022; and

(b) the Government is encouraging farmer participation in new markets including the:

(i) ACCUs market, via programs such as the Carbon Farming Outreach Program; and

(ii) biodiversity credit market through the proposed Nature Repair Market Bill; and

(c) Australia's agriculture sector may need to retain their own credits for carbon in-setting, in order to comply with international trade requirements that will require farmers to address their own emissions;

(4) further notes that agricultural extension officers have historically played an important role in translating science into practice for Australia's agricultural sector; and

(5) calls on the Government to do more to encourage farmers to deploy low-emissions technologies and practices, and participate in carbon and biodiversity markets, by:

(a) providing ongoing and increased investment in agricultural and climate science research and development, including in accurate measurement of soil carbon and nutritional additives to reduce methane emissions in livestock;

(b) funding a network of 200 context-specific, trusted and neutral agricultural extension officers through providers such as Natural Resource Management or Landcare organisations to provide educational outreach services and advice on technology, products and practices that will help farmers lower their emissions and subsequently participate in new carbon and biodiversity markets; and

(c) allowing farmers to certify their products as net-zero through a dedicated carbon neutral certification standard for farms through the ClimateActive initiative which would help farmers access price premiums for their products and protect their access to overseas markets.

(Notice given 7 March 2023.)

Time allotte d 20 minutes.

Speech time limits

Dr Haines 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

4 MRS ANDREWS: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee tabled its report into the human rights implications of recent violence in Iran on 1 February 2023;

(2) acknowledges that submissions to the inquiry overwhelmingly called for the Government to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation;

(3) recognises that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps poses a threat to Australia's national security and the security of Australians at home and abroad, especially the Iranian-Australian community;

(4) further notes that Australia's international partners have taken or are taking steps to categorise the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, including the United States of America and the United Kingdom; and

(5) calls on the Government to urgently take the necessary steps to formally categorise the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an organisation involved in supporting and facilitating terrorism.

(Notice given 6 February 2023.)

Time allotted remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.

Speech time limits

Mrs Andrews 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MS STANLEY: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) climate change will cause irreversible damage to Australia's unique ecosystem;

(b) communities across Australia are experiencing the impacts of more severe natural disasters attributable to climate change;

(c) action on climate change is beneficial both environmentally and economically;

(d) delaying action will lead to lost opportunities for Australia and worsening climate impacts;

(e) the hydrogen industry will be a key component of the transition to a low-emissions economy, and could add $50 billion to Australia's gross domestic product and support 16,000 jobs by 2050; and

(f) the former Government's lack of policy certainty on energy and climate change led to a wasted decade;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the Government's legislated emissions reduction targets of 43 per cent by 2030, and net-zero by 2050 provide certainty for investment in low emissions technology;

(b) the establishment of a Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) will drive the uptake of new renewable dispatchable capacity and support the Government's target of 82 per cent renewable energy in the electricity grid by 2030;

(c) Australia has signed the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030; and

(d) the Government has continued to invest in Australia's hydrogen industry and has fostered international partnerships to establish Australia as a major hydrogen exporter; and

(3) recognises that:

(a) climate action is important to Australia's Pacific neighbours; and

(b) the Australian people voted for greater action on climate change and the Government is delivering.

(Notice given 6 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Ms Stanley 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

2 MRS MARINO: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that the Government:

(a) has failed to admit that the headline aged care promises they made to older Australians and their families, at the 2022 election, are undeliverable; and

(b) has blatantly ignored the Opposition's concerns that their expedited timeframe could force aged care homes to close because they can't access staff, residents kicked out of their homes, and caused older Australians from rural and regional Australia forced to travel miles away from their community to receive support; and

(2) further notes that the University of Technology Sydney Ageing Research Collaborative report released in 2022 confirms that the Government's expedited requirements for aged care facilities will see homes closed down and older Australians abandoned, and the report states:

(a) that meeting the incoming mandated standards will require an additional 6,922 full-time registered nurses in Australia; and

(b) less than five per cent of the surveyed homes currently have the required direct care workforce needed to fulfil the requirements that will be placed on them;

(3) acknowledges that the recent budget failed to make provisions for the immediate support needed by the sector so they can ensure continued operation of their critical services under the additional requirements; and

(4) condemns the Government for making promises to older Australians and their families that it knows cannot be delivered.

(Notice given 29 November 2022.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mrs Marino 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of th is matter should continue on a future day.

3 MS CHESTERS: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) March is Endometriosis Awareness Month;

(b) endometriosis is a progressive, chronic condition that can start at puberty and continue beyond menopause; and

(c) endometriosis affects one in nine Australian women and girls;

(2) acknowledges that the Government is addressing endometriosis at a national level via the National Plan for Endometriosis, which includes:

(a) $8.57 million for awareness and education;

(b) $49.65 million for clinical management and care; and

(c) $28.97 million for research; and

(3) congratulates the many endometriosis patients, their families, organisations and health sector leaders for their continued advocacy on endometriosis awareness and education.

(Notice given 6 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Ms Chesters 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

4 MR WOLAHAN: To move—That this House:

(1) acknowledges:

(a) the release of the myGov User Audit, which stated that the previous Government's investment in the platform was 'well-crafted and implemented' and 'put in place much needed building blocks for a better myGov';

(b) that there has only been a single gathering of the Data and Digital Ministers' Meeting since the election of this Government;

(c) the previous Government's efforts to progress the implementation of digital identity by introducing the Trusted Digital Identity Bill 2021; and

(d) that the myGov User Audit calls on the Government to 'urgently' legislate on a national identity framework; and

(2) calls on the Government to prioritise digital transformation across Services Australia and national digital identity, making service delivery safer, simpler and more seamless.

(Notice given 7 March 2023.)

Time allotted remaining private Members' business time pri or to 1.30 pm.

Speech time limits

Mr Wolahan 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices — continued

5 MR VAN MANEN: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) yourtown has been providing vital services for young people across Australia since 1961, with a focus on mental health and wellbeing, long-term unemployment, prevention of youth suicide, child protection, as well as support for those experiencing domestic and family violence;

(b) for over 30 years yourtown has been providing free professional counselling and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for children and young people aged five to 25 in Australia, through its Kids Helpline service;

(c) Kids Helpline is the critical safety net for children and young people needing mental health support and is often the only mental health service available after hours, or for those living in rural and remote areas;

(d) Kids Helpline's provision of professional, free counselling support ensures equality for all children and young people, regardless of their location or circumstances.; and

(e) in the 2021-22 financial year, Kids Helpline was contacted directly by over 443,000 children and young people from across Australia, with millions more using resources and content across multiple channels;

(2) recognises that:

(a) the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated communication and social issues for young people;

(b) Kids Helpline experienced a significant surge in calls for support during lockdowns;

(c) for the first time in its over 30-year history, more than 50 per cent of callers now require counselling, when previously they were referred on to external supports; and

(d) demand for Kids Helpline service remains high and now exceeds capacity; and

(3) calls on:

(a) all Members of Parliament to continue to raise awareness of the important services available to young people through Kids Helpline 24/7, by calling 1800 55 1800 or online through kidshelpline.com.au; and

(b) the Government to support further growth in Kids Helpline's services, in order to meet the ever increasing demand for support.

(Notice given 7 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr van Manen 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

6 MR J WILSON: To move—That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Australian community is justifiably dismayed at the collapse of REDcycle's return-to-store soft plastics recovery program, with reports that over 12,400 tonnes of plastics were found in warehouses in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a quantity of which has degraded to an extent that it is not suitable for reprocessing and will end in landfill;

(b) a statement made by the former Government Minister for the Environment in 2020, who said Australians want to be 'confident that when they put things in their recycling bin, or deliver them to a collection centre, they will be repurposed effectively, and not dumped in landfill or simply sent overseas';

(c) the Australian community's concern about the significant harm caused by plastics pollution to marine life, including by the proliferation of microplastics;

(d) that only 16 per cent of plastic packaging was recycled or composted in Australia in 2019-20 whereas the 2018 National Packaging Target is for 70 per cent of plastic packaging to be recycled or composted by 2025; and

(e) that plastic packaging only contains 3 per cent recycled content, whereas the National Packaging Target is for plastics to contain 20 per cent average recycled content by 2025; and

(2) acknowledges the Government's commitment to addressing the woeful state of plastic recycling through:

(a) an agreement with state and territory environment ministers to reform the regulation of plastic packaging by 2025;

(b) the provision of $60 million in the October 2022 budget for state-of-the-art advanced recycling solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics, as part of the $250 million Recycling Modernisation Fund;

(c) the creation of the Soft Plastics Taskforce which is now taking steps to reinstate plastics collection systems;

(d) the establishment of a national taskforce on the circular economy to reduce waste and pollution, improve product design, and transition to a more circular economy; and

(e) timely membership of the High Ambition Coalition for an international treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040 and signing the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.

(Notice given 7 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr J Wilson 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

7 MR BIRRELL: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the October 2022 budget contained an undisclosed amount intended for water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin, and that confirmation of the Government's intention to recommence buybacks has already had an impact on the water market;

(b) the country's largest water broker, Adelaide-based Waterfind, issued and then withdrew, an expression of interest for Commonwealth buybacks;

(c) water entitlement holders have withdrawn from the market to wait for the expected premium when the Government enters the market;

(d) a 2018 agreement reached by Australia's water ministers guarantees that positive, or neutral, socio-economic outcomes must be demonstrated for approval of any further recovery of Murray-Darling Basin environmental water;

(e) the Government is ignoring expert reports and is pursuing a timeline for completion of the Murray-Darling Basin plan and buybacks which will cause economic and social harm in Basin communities; and

(f) the Government is ignoring former Prime Minister Julia Gillard's stated position on the additional 450 gigalitres when she announced with the then Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, that it would only be recovered via water recovery projects that minimise the impact on communities, to ensure there is no social and economic downside for communities;

(2) acknowledges that Murray-Darling Basin communities have already done the heavy lifting on the recovery of water for the environment and any further recovery should be done in a manner that does not deliver more social and economic harm to those communities; and

(3) calls on the Government to extend the timeline for completion of the Murray-Darling Basin plan and work with Basin communities on projects to recover further water for the environment in a manner that has a neutral or positive socio-economic impact.

(Notice given 30 November 2022.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Birrell 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Orders of the day

1 TEACHERS: Resumption of debate (from 6 March 2023) on the motion of Ms Sitou—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the extraordinary contribution teachers, principals and school support staff make to our students and the future of Australia;

(2) recognises we face a critical and unprecedented teacher shortage that will have consequences across our society; and

(3) notes the measures the Government has already taken to attract, train and retain teachers.

Time allotted 25 minutes.

Speech time limits

All Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Notices — continued

8 DR SCAMPS: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) forestry destroyed or degraded 40,000 hectares of Australian public native forests in 2020, and each year releases an estimated 30 MtCO2-e of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to around 6 per cent of Australia's emissions;

(b) logging destroys and damages the habitat of numerous threatened species, while Regional Forestry Agreements exempt logging from classification as Matters of National Environmental Significance under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; and

(c) logging dries out forests (increasing their vulnerability to bushfires), reduces water quality in rivers and dams by causing sediment erosion, and threatens regional tourism businesses by degrading the natural resource base;

(2) recognises the need:

(a) to rapidly end the logging of Australian public native forests; and

(b) for structural adjustment funding to support the transition to plantations and manufactured wood products; and

(3) calls on the Government to take its international responsibilities to respond to the nature and climate crises seriously, and lead the nation in ending industrial native forest logging.

(Notice given 7 March 2023.)

Time allotted remaining private Members' business time prior to 7.30 pm.

Speech time limits

Dr Scamps 5 minutes.

Ot her Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

THE HON D. M. DICK MP

Speaker of the House of Representatives

8 March 2023