Senate debates

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Reserve Bank Amendment (Enhanced Independence) Legislation

10:06 am

Photo of David BushbyDavid Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes that:
(i)
it has been 268 days since the House of Representatives received the Senate’s message regarding amendments to the Reserve Bank Amendment (Enhanced Independence) Bill 2008;
(ii)
the Treasurer (Mr Swan) in his second reading speech to the bill said, ‘These reforms that the Governor and I agreed to last year herald in a new era of independence and transparency in monetary policy in Australia. The introduction of this bill into the parliament today is a key step to delivering this’, and
(iii)
as a result of this inaction, the Government is failing to deliver on its ‘new era of independence and transparency’ for the Reserve Bank; and
(b)
sends a message to the House of Representatives requesting that the House immediately consider the Senate amendments to the Reserve Bank Amendment (Enhanced Independence) Bill 2008.

Question put.