House debates

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Committees

Selection Committee; Report

9:24 am

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I present report No. 11 of the Selection Committee, relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private business on Monday 27 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, 21 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, 21 March 2023 and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 27 March 2023, as follows:

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

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MR PIKE: To present a Bill for an Act to declare Australia Day, on 26 January, to be the national day, and for related purposes. (Australia Day Bill 2023)

Notice given 20 March 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 standing order 142.

2 MR HAMILTON: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Online Safety Act 2021, and for related purposes. (Online Safety Amendment (Breaking Online Notoriety) Bill 2023)

(Notice given 20 March 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 standing order 142.

3 MS SHARKIE: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and for related purposes. (Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit Card Ban and Acknowledgement of Losses) Bill 2023)

(Notice given 20 March 2023.)

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

4 DR HAINES: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000, and for related purposes. (Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Cheaper Home Batteries) Bill 2023)

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

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

5 MR RAE: To move—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government inherited an economy defined by a decade of stagnant wages, flatlining productivity, weak business investment, skills shortages and energy policy chaos; and

(2) notes that in the first ten months, the Government has:

(a) successfully argued for a minimum wage increase and passed legislation to get wages moving again;

(b) legislated cheaper child care and cheaper medicines;

(c) legislated emissions reductions targets and invested in cleaner and cheaper energy;

(d) invested in fee-free TAFE and more university places; and

(e) handed down a budget that delivered responsible cost of living relief and invested in the drivers of economic growth without adding to inflation; and

(3) further notes the next budget will build on these strong foundations with help for energy bills, higher wages for aged care workers and investments in economic growth.

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

Time allotted 30 minu tes.

Speech time limits

Mr Rae 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 at a later hour.

6 MS SHARKIE: To move—That this House:

(1) recognises that the regulation of retirement villages in Australia is highly complex and varies significantly between states and territories;

(2) acknowledges that retirement village fees can include upfront incoming payments, ongoing service charges, and exit or deferred management fees, the latter of which may equate up to 25 to 40 per cent of the resident's ingoing contribution or resale price;

(3) further recognises that while these fees are of a quantum which may apply to a prospective resident when purchasing a property freehold, most retirement villages offer only loan/license agreements or leasehold or similar agreements, which do not provide comparable security of tenure nor other rights;

(4) expresses concern that:

(a) negotiating and understanding a lengthy and complex retirement village contract can be difficult for some prospective residents; and

(b) the fees charged place some residents in financial hardship when they depart, such that they may not be able to afford a higher level of care if needed subsequently;

(5) calls on the Government to recognise that many retirement village contracts represent a financial product, and therefore warrant federal oversight and regulation; and

(6) further calls on the Government to work with the states and territories on national reforms for the harmonisation of retirement village regulation regimes such that:

(a) improved consumer protections and increased transparency and consistency are provided for all Australians entering retirement villages; and

(b) consideration is given to:

(i) regulation of retirement village contracts as financial products by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission; and

(ii) improved consumer protections and regulation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

(Notice given 20 March 2023.)

Time allotted 20 minutes.

Speech time limits

Ms Sharkie 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

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

7 MR LITTLEPROUD: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) Australia's live sheep export industry employs more than 3,000 people in Western Australia and is worth $85 million;

(b) since 2018, this industry has delivered extensive and comprehensive reforms which have significantly improved animal welfare outcomes;

(c) Australia has the highest standards of animal welfare in the world;

(d) Australian sheep are high quality, disease-free and perform well in feedlots and at sea, creating demand overseas for them as a premium product; and

(e) if the trade is banned, alternatives will be sourced from countries that do not have Australia's high animal welfare or quality standards;

(2) condemns the Government for its reckless and ideological decision to forcibly shut down Australia's live sheep export industry;

(3) recognises that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is the independent regulator of the live animal trade, and any decisions made in respect to the trade should always be predicated on science and independent of government;

(4) calls on the Government to urgently explain what factual evidence or science its decision to ban the live sheep export industry is based on; and

(5) urges the Government to immediately reverse its decision to forcibly shut down this industry.

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

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

Speech time limits

Mr Littleproud 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.

Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MS MCKENZIE: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) under the Government we have now seen interest rates rising for nine straight months; and

(b) we have not seen consistent rate hikes like this in more than 30 years;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the latest increase means that a family with a typical mortgage of $750,000 now needs to find an extra $20,000 a year to keep up with mortgage repayments; and

(b) at the same time energy bills have soared and grocery costs are rising; and

(3) calls on the Government to take real action to address cost of living pressures.

Notice given 21 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Ms McKenzie 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

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

2 MRS PHILLIPS: To move—That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) Saturday, 1 April 2023 will mark the six month anniversary of the introduction of the Government's Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee; and

(b) the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee has helped over 2,700 Australians into home ownership;

(2) acknowledges that as well as establishing the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, the Government has started delivering on its ambitious housing agenda, including:

(a) widening the remit of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, which has unlocked up to $575 million to be spent on delivering social and affordable housing;

(b) establishing the interim National Housing Supply and Affordability Council to provide expert advice to Government on housing supply and affordability; and

(c) striking a National Housing Accord to bring together all levels of government along with investors and the construction sector, alongside $350 million in additional federal funding to support the delivery of social and affordable housing; and

(3) further acknowledges that the Government will continue to work to improve housing outcomes for Australians by establishing the Housing Australia Future Fund, developing a new National Housing and Homelessness Plan and providing approximately $1.6 billion per year to the states and territories through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

Time allotted 50 minute s.

Speech time limits

Mrs Phillips 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 10 x 5 mins]

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

3 MRS ANDREWS: To move—That this House

(1) notes that:

(a) foreign interference online poses a unique risk to the national security of Australia, particularly on social media platforms;

(b) these platforms have been successfully weaponised by authoritarian states in an attempt to interfere in our democracy; and

(c) under the previous Government, Australia led the world with its foreign interference, espionage and influence reforms of 2018;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the cybersecurity measures implemented by the previous Government are now being adopted by likeminded countries around the world; and

(b) cyber-enabled foreign interference is a unique challenge which requires further reforms; and

(3) calls on the Government to continue to monitor and adapt to the ever-changing threats posed by foreign actors in cyberspace.

(Notice given 29 November 2022.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mrs Andrews 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

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

4 MS DANIEL: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the consequences of harm from gambling are poorer health and wellbeing for individuals who gamble, their family members, friends and community;

(b) family and relationship problems, emotional and psychological issues, including distress, depression, suicide and violence and financial harms are all costs of gambling;

(c) the potential for harm has increased with the proliferation of online gambling, and the proliferation of sports bettors gambling online which significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(d) a three-year study by La Trobe University with 50 thousand respondents revealed that more than three quarters felt they should be able to watch sport on television free from gambling ads and that young people are exposed to too much gambling advertising; and

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) expenditure on gambling advertising in Australia has increased by 320 per cent in the past 11 years;

(b) exposure to gambling advertising normalises betting and increases the risk of harm;

(c) current restrictions have failed to reduce children and young people's exposure to gambling, especially sports betting; and

(d) the prolific promotion of sports betting does not align with community values.

( Notice given 21 March 2023.)

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

Speech time limits

Ms Daniel 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.

Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices — contin ued

5 MR WALLACE: To move—That this House acknowledges that:

(1) the social media platform TikTok poses a serious national security threat and should be banned on all government devices;

(2) Australian user-data is accessible in mainland China, and that Chinese companies are required under its national security laws to assist its intelligence agencies and to keep that assistance secret;

(3) the Government was warned of the serious threat nine months ago, and must now immediately act to follow the lead of our close security partners including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the European Union by banning TikTok on government devices;

(4) given the close relationship between TikTok, and its parent company Bytedance, and the Chinese Communist Party, the social media platform could be used to promote pro-Chinese Communist Party narratives, to suppress anti-Chinese Communist Party narratives, to stoke divisions in our country, and to influence our political system.

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

Time allotted 30 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Coulton 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.

Orders of the day

1 LABOR GOVERNMENT: Resumption of debate (from 28 November 2022) on the motion of Ms J Ryan—That this House:

(1) notes that in May 2022, Australians voted for change and for a Labor Government to build a better future;

(2) further notes that in the six months since the election, the Parliament:

(a) has already legislated to:

(i) fix the mess the previous Government made of the aged care sector;

(ii) deliver a cleaner and greener future to tackle climate change;

(iii) deliver cheaper medicines;

(iv) provide ten days paid family and domestic violence leave;

(v) repeal the cashless debit card;

(vi) expand access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card; and

(vii) deliver a 'Future Made in Australia' with Jobs and Skills Australia; and

(b) is currently debating legislation to deliver:

(i) secure jobs and better pay;

(ii) a national anti-corruption commission;

(iii) safer and secure workplaces for Australian women; and

(iv) cheaper childcare for Australian families; and

(3) acknowledges that the Government is:

(a) delivering on its election commitments to build a better future; and

(b) being a responsible government in the face of challenging times globally.

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

All 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.

Notices — continued

6 MS STANLEY: To move—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the COVID-19 pandemic showed us how vulnerable Australia's supply chains are;

(b) revitalising Australian manufacturing will diversify our economy and create sustainable and secure jobs;

(c) the Government is delivering on its election promise of creating a $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund (NRF); and

(d) the NRF will invest in the priority sectors of transport, medical science, renewable and low-emission technologies, value-add in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, value-add in resources, defence capabilities, and enabling capabilities; and

(2) acknowledges that the NRF will support:

(a) the development of strategically important industries and shore up supply chains;

(b) targeted investment in manufacturing capability to create well-paid jobs for Australians including in regional communities; and

(c) the diversification and transformation of Australian industry and the economy, to take advantage of emerging opportunities, including the global transition to net zero.

(Notice given 20 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.

7 MR PASIN: To move—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the vital role the Australian trucking industry plays in the transportation of goods along the supply chain;

(2) recognises that the trucking industry is an industry made up of, amongst others, almost 60,000 small and family-owned businesses, operating on tight margins;

(3) notes that that the National Transport Commission anticipates that by imposing a 10 per cent annual increase to the heavy vehicle road user charge the tax paid on fuel would increase from 27.2 cents per litre to 36.2 cents per litre by July 2025, equating an additional $1.35 billion per year by 2025-26;

(4) recognises that many heavy vehicle road users are unable to pass on the increased costs, which will impact viability of logistics business, leading to inevitable collapse over coming months;

(5) calls on the Government to rule out increasing the heavy vehicle road user charge by 10 per cent in the interests of the heavy vehicle sector.

(Notice given 21 March 2023.)

Time allotted 40 m inutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Pasin 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 — continued

ECONOMY: Resumption of debate on the motion of Mr Rae—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government inherited an economy defined by a decade of stagnant wages, flatlining productivity, weak business investment, skills shortages and energy policy chaos; and

(2) notes that in the first ten months, the Government has:

(a) successfully argued for a minimum wage increase and passed legislation to get wages moving again;

(b) legislated cheaper child care and cheaper medicines;

(c) legislated emissions reductions targets and invested in cleaner and cheaper energy;

(d) invested in fee-free TAFE and more university places; and

(e) handed down a budget that delivered responsible cost of living relief and invested in the drivers of economic growth without adding to inflation; and

(3) further notes the next budget will build on these strong foundations with help for energy bills, higher wages for aged care workers and investments in economic growth.

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

Speech time limits

All Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 3 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

22 March 2023