Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I present the 1st report of 2011 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. 1 of 2011

10 February 2011

(1)

The committee met in private session on Thursday, 10 February 2011 at 12.45 pm.

(2)

The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a)

the Foreign Acquisitions Amendment (Agricultural Land) Bill 2010 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2011 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b)

the provisions of the Human Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 March 2011 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c)

the provisions of the National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010 and the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures—Access Arrangements) Bill 2010 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 16 March 2011 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d)

the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Bill 2010 [2011] and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2010 [2011], together with the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011, be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 21 March 2011 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(e)

the provisions of Schedule 2 of the Tax Laws Amendment (2010 Measures No. 5) Bill 2010 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 24 March 2011 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral).

(3)

The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:

• Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment and Prisoner Voting) Bill 2010
• National Broadband Network Financial Transparency Bill 2010 (No. 2)
• Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2010
• Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011.

The committee recommends accordingly.

(4)

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

• Combating the Financing of People Smuggling and Other Measures Bill 2011
• Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill 2011
• Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Election Commitments and Other Measures) Bill 2011
• Higher Education Support Amendment (No. 1) Bill 2011
• Income Tax Rates Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011
• Migration Amendment (Detention of Minors) Bill 2010
• Migration Amendment (Detention Reform and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2010
• Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (MRCA Supplement) Bill 2011
• Responsible Takeaway Alcohol Hours Bill 2010
• Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011.

(Anne McEwen) Chair

10 February 2011

APPENDIX 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of Bill:

Foreign Acquisitions Amendment (Agricultural Land) Bill 2010

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

NZ Treasury

NZ Overseas Investment Office

Treasury - Foreign Investment Review Board Australian Bureau of Statistics

Committee to which Bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

February/ March 2011

Possible reporting date:

May/June 2011

Signed

Rachael Siewert

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

APPENDIX 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Human Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2010

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Concerns about privacy of patients with abolition of Medicare Australia and amalgamation with Centrelink into one statutory authority

Possible submissions or evidence from: Privacy groups

Consumer health advocacy groups

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

April 2011

Possible reporting date:

June 15th 2011

Signed

Rachael Siewert

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

APPENDIX 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of Bill:

National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010

Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures —Access Arrangements) Bill 2010

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The objective of these bills is to create a more complete legislative framework for the Government’s overarching broadband policy of creating a closely-regulated government-owned monopoly wholesaler of ‘last mile’ fixed line infrastructure.

The parliament needs to ensure these bills provide equivalent services to all competing retail service providers seeking access, within a transparent and non-discriminatory access regime.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Telstra

Optus

Common Carriers Coalition (private carriers other than Telstra and Optus)

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

April 2011

Possible reporting date:

May 2011

Signed

Stephen Parry

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

APPENDIX 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Bill 2010

National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Transitional Provisions) Bill 201()

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

There has been insufficient stakeholder consultation and there are some valid issues which need to be given further consideration.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

AEU

TAFE Directors Australia RTOs.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Possible hearing date(s):

March / April 2011

Possible reporting date:

May 2011

Signed

Stephen Parry

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

APPENDIX 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Schedule 2 of the Tax Laws Amendment (2010 Measures No. 5)

Bill Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Examine the rationale and consequences of the benchmark rate

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Australian Financial Markets Association Other major financial institutions

Treasury

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

March 2011

Possible reporting date:

March / April 2011

Signed

Stephen Parry

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

Ordered that the report be adopted.