Senate debates

Thursday, 8 February 2007

Committees

Selection of Bills Committee; Report

3:30 pm

Photo of Jeannie FerrisJeannie Ferris (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I present the second report for 2007 of the Selection of Bills Committee.

Ordered that the report be adopted.

I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 2 OF 2007

(1)
The committee met in private session on Thursday, 8 February 2007 at 11.47 am.
(2)
The committee resolved to recommend—That
(a)
the provisions of the Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 14 March 2007 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral); and
(b)
the provisions of the Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 7) Bill 2006 be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry for inquiry and report by 27 February 2007 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral).

The committee recommends accordingly.

(3)
The committee deferred consideration of the following bill to its next meeting:

(Jeannie Ferris) Chair

8 February 2007

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill(s):

Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

See Attached.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

1 March 2007

(signed) Jeannie Ferris

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2007 AUTUMN SITTINGS

AGED CARE AMENDMENT (SECURITY AND PROTECTION) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The bill amends the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) to:

  • implement new aged care complaints investigation arrangements, including a new Aged Care Commissioner;
  • introduce the requirement for approved providers of residential aged care to report to the Department of Health and Ageing and the police allegations and incidents of sexual and serious physical assault; and
  • introduce protection for approved providers and staff in residential aged care that report allegations and incidents of sexual and serious physical assault.

Reasons for Urgency

The amendments to the Act will give effect to the decision made by the government in July 2006 to implement new complaints investigation arrangements for Australian Government-subsidised aged care services, including the establishment of a new Aged Care Commissioner, as well as the introduction of compulsory reporting of alleged incidents of sexual and serious physical assault in residential aged care, and protection for approved providers and staff who report such incidents.

In the Minister for Ageing’s announcement of 27 July 2006, he foreshadowed an implementation date of 1 April 2007 for the aged care complaints investigation arrangements, compulsory reporting and protection measures. In order to meet this implementation date, the bill needs to be introduced and passed in the 2007 Autumn sittings.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing)

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill(s):

Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 7) Bill 2006

Specifically Schedule 2

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

Schedule 2 makes substantial changes to the interest withholding tax exemption.

Proposed changes in Schedule 2 may have an impact on the ability of Australian companies to raise finance.

Inadequate consultation with industry.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Institute of charted accountants.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics

Possible hearing date(s):

Week of 19 February 2007

Possible reporting date:

Week of 1 March 2007

(signed) George Campbell

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member