Senate debates

Thursday, 25 June 2026

Committees

Selection of Bills Committee; Report

11:15 am

Photo of Tony SheldonTony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

I present the seventh report of 2026 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

Selection of Bills Committee

REPORT NO. 7 OF 2026

25 May 2026

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Senator Tony Sheldon (Government Whip, Chair) Senator Wendy Askew (Opposition Whip) Senator Sean Bell (One Nation Whip)

Senator Nick McKim (Australian Greens Whip) Senator Ralph Babet

Senator Leah Blyth

Senator Ross Cadell (The Nationals Whip) Senator the Hon. Anthony Chisholm Senator Jessica Collins

Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher Senator Jacqui Lambie

Senator Fatima Payman Senator David Pocock Senator Lidia Thorpe

Secretary: Tim Bryant 02 6277 3020

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 7 OF 2026

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at 7.12 pm.

2. The committee recommends that—

(a)    the provisions of the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 24 August 2026 (see appendix 1 for statements of reasons for referral),

(b) the provisions of the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 August 2026 (see appendix 2 for statements of reasons for referral),

(c) the provisions of the Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 October 2026 (see appendix 3 for statement of reasons for referral), and

(d) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 August 2026 (see appendix 4 for statement of reasons for referral).

3. The committee recommends that the following bills not be referred to committees:

      4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

                                                                                        (Tony Sheldon)

                                                                                        Chair

                                                                                        24 June 2026

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Name of bill:Defence Legislation Amendment(RCDVS Implementationand Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026

                                                                                        Reasonsforreferral/principalissuesforconsideration:Scrutinise legislation

                                                                                        Possiblesubmissionsorevidencefrom:Relevantstakeholders

                                                                                        Committeetowhichbillistobereferred:ForeignAffairs,DefenceandTrade

                                                                                        Possible hearing date(s): July-August

                                                                                        Possible reporting date : August 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Wendy Askew

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameofbill:DefenceLegislation Amendment (RCDVS ImplementationandRelatedMeasures No. 2) Bill 2026

                                                                                        Reasonsforreferral/principalissuesforconsideration:ThisisacomplexBillinwhichstakeholdersthatwanttocommenton.

                                                                                        Possiblesubmissionsorevidencefrom:FamiliesofVeteransGuild Veteran Advocates

                                                                                        Committeetowhichbillistobereferred:ForeignAffairs,DefenceandTrade

                                                                                        Possiblehearingdate(s):5 August, 2026

                                                                                        Possiblereportingdate: 24 August, 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Nick McKim

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameofbill:HealthInsuranceAmendment(IncentivePaymentsandOtherMeasures)Bill

                                                                                        Reasonsforreferral/principalissuesforconsideration:Scrutiniselegislation

                                                                                        Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

                                                                                        Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

                                                                                        Possible hearing date(s): July

                                                                                        Possible reporting date: 14 August 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Wendy Askew

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameofbill:HealthInsuranceAmendment(IncentivePaymentsandOtherMeasures)Bill2026

                                                                                        Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Hear from stakeholders

                                                                                        Possible submissions or evidence from: Representative groups, government departments, various stakeholders

                                                                                        Committee to which bill is to be referred:

                                                                                        Community Affairs Legislation Committee

                                                                                        Possible hearing date(s): 1 hearing in July

                                                                                        Possible reporting date: 14 August 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Nick McKim

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameof bill:Private Health InsuranceAmendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026

                                                                                        Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

                                                                                        Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

                                                                                        Committeetowhichbillistobereferred:Community Affairs

                                                                                        Possible hearing date(s): July-September

                                                                                        Possiblereportingdate:7October2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Wendy Askew

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameofbill: PrivateHealthInsuranceAmendment(ModernisingthePrivateHealthInsuranceRebate)Bill 2026

                                                                                        Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Hear from stakeholders

                                                                                        Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                                        Health representative groups, consumer representative groups, government departments, various stakeholders

                                                                                        Committee to which bill is to be referred:

                                                                                        Community Affairs Legislation Committee

                                                                                        Possible hearing date(s): 24 August — 25 September

                                                                                        Possible reporting date: 7 October 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Nick McKim

                                                                                        SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                        Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                        Nameofbill:TreasuryLawsAmendment(TaxReformNo.2)Bill2026

                                                                                        Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

                                                                                        Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

                                                                                        Committeetowhichbillistobereferred:Economics

                                                                                        Possiblehearingdate(s):July

                                                                                        Possible reporting date: 13 August 2026

                                                                                        (signed)

                                                                                        Wendy Askew

                                                                                        I move:

                                                                                        That the report be adopted.

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