Senate debates
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Committees
Selection of Bills Committee; Report
1:06 pm
Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
by leave—I present the 3rd report of 2011 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. 3 OF 2011
1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 at 7.35 pm.
2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—
(a) the provisions of the Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 June 2011 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(b) the provisions of the Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 21 September 2011 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(c) the Migration Amendment (Detention Reform and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2010 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 16 August 2011 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(d) the provisions of the National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 9 June 2011 (see appendices 4 and 5 for statements of reasons for referral); and
(e) the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill 2011 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 10 May 2011 (see appendices 6 and 7 for statements of reasons for referral).
3. The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:
- Corporations Amendment (Improving Accountability on Director and Executive Remuneration) Bill 2011
- Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Provisional Voting) Bill 2011
- Midwife Professional Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
- Trans-Tasman Proceedings Amendment and Other Measures Bill 2011.
The committee recommends accordingly.
4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:
Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011
Child Support (Registration and Collection) Amendment Bill 2011
Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2011
Customs Amendment (Export Controls and Other Measures) Bill 2011
Customs Tariff Amendment (2012 Harmonized System Changes) Bill 2011
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Further Election Commitments and Other Measures) Bill 2011
International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2011
Migration Amendment (Detention of Minors) Bill 2010
Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011
Product Stewardship Bill 2011
Responsible Takeaway Alcohol Hours Bill 2010
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2011
Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2011
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011.
Chair
24 March 2011
APPENDIX 1
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of bill: Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping Measures) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: There are significant (and growing) problems with Australia’s anti-dumping system. Senate Committee examination of this Bill could be complementary (or even concurrent) to the committee process already initiated for consideration of proposed changes to the wider anti-dumping regime through a related Private Senator’s Bill introduced by Senator Xenophon: Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping) Bill 2011.
Possible submissions or evidence from: Similar for the submissions and hearings on Senator Xenophon’s Bill, including:
Representatives of companies in industries that are significantly impacted by anti-dumping legislation - such as the steel fabrication, paper, timber, food processing, cement/ concrete and plastics and chemicals industries.
Industry associations, such as the Australian Industry Group (and the Trade Remedies Taskforce that is convened under its auspices), the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australian Food and Grocery Council, Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association and Ausbuy.
Committee to which bill is to be referred: Senate Economics Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Between late March and May/June 2011
Possible reporting date:
The Senate Committee process on Senator Xenophon’s anti-dumping Bill is due to report on 22 June 2011. A similar timetable for this Bill would be appropriate.
(signed)
Senator Parry
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 2
Name of bill:
Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
Need to assess whether privacy issues, employment issues, the collection of foreign intelligence and the sharing of information with ADF have been assessed adequately.
The government has not provided the Bill with enough time to examine these complex issues adequately before weighing up considerations before referral, therefore referral is necessary.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Australian Law Council
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Possible hearing date(s):
August 2011
Possible reporting date:
September 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 3
Name of bill:
Migration Amendment (Detention reform and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2010
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To look into implementing time-limits and procedural fairness on immigration detention.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Refugee Council of Australia
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
18 to 22 July
Possible reporting date:
August 16 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 4
Name of bill:
National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
Governance, national standards and consistency, powers of authority. Possible submissions or evidence from:
John Dwyer, Lesley Russell, Stephen Leeder,
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Community Affairs
Possible hearing date(s):
April - June 2011
Possible reporting date:
June 9th 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 5
Name of bill:
National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
This Bill was the subject of a House Committee inquiry which held one brief public hearing to take evidence from the Department of Health and Ageing. Eight organisations made submissions to that inquiry. Several expressed their willingness to appear to detail their views. Several of the key organisations have all expressed concerns about the lack of detail about how this proposed new National Health Performance Authority will operate. The Bill does not detail the very performance indicators that the Authority is established to monitor and report on. Additionally several organisations believe that data set should be specified before the Authority is formed, that it is made public and that it is presented to the Parliament as regulations which can be disallowed.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Australian Medical Association
Australian Private Hospitals Association
Catholic Health Australia
Australian College of Emergency Medicine
Australian College of Nursing
Consumers Health Forum
National Primary Health Care Partnership
Australian General Practice Network
Rural Doctors Association
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Possible hearing date(s): To be set by committee
Possible reporting date:
21 April 2011
Possible reporting date:
21 April 2011
(signed)
Senator Parry
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 6
Name of bill:
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill 2011 and
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: This is complex legislation with a number of issues on which many stakeholders have yet to have input.
There are a variety of issues which must be examined including a potential over-reliance on delegated legislation; allowing Universities to automatically self-accredit their own courses and the reservation of the name “Universities” to bodies which undertake research work.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Private Higher Education Providers The Group of Eight
Innovative Research Universities Australian Technology Network DEEWR
State Governments
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Standing Committees on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Possible hearing date(s):
To be set by committee
Possible reporting date:
1 July 2011
(signed)
Senator Parry
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 7
Name of bills:
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill 2011; and
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
Appropriateness of the regulatory environment for higher education established by the Bill.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Universities Australia; Council of Private Higher Education; TAFE Directors Australia; Australian Council for Private Education and Training; staff and student associations
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Matter for committee. Likely to require up to 1.5 days of hearings in Canberra.
Possible reporting date:
Tuesday 10 May
(signed)
Senator Parry
Whip/ Selection of Bills Committee member