Senate debates

Thursday, 16 June 2011

Committees

Australia's Immigration Detention Network Committee; Appointment

Photo of Louise PrattLouise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

A message has been received from the House of Representatives transmitting for concurrence a resolution proposing the formation of a joint select committee. Copies of the message have been circulated in the chamber.

The House of Representatives mess a ge read as follows—

Message no. 173, dated 2 June 2011—Proposed Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention Network, and transmitting for the concurrence of the Senate the following resolution:

That:

(1) a Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention Network be appointed to inquire into and report on:

(a) any reforms needed to the current Immigration Detention Network in Australia;

(b) the impact of length of detention and the appropriateness of facilities and services for asylum seekers;

(c) the resources, support and training for employees of Commonwealth agencies and/or their agents or contractors in performing their duties;

(d) the health, safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers, including specifically children, detained within the detention network;

(e) impact of detention on children and families, and viable alternatives;

(f) the effectiveness and long-term viability of outsourcing immigration detention centre contracts to private providers;

(g) the impact, effectiveness and cost of mandatory detention and any alternatives, includ­ing community release;

(h) the reasons for and nature of riots and disturbances in detention facilities;

(i) the performance and management of Commonwealth agencies and/or their agents or contractors in discharging their responsibilities associated with the detention and processing of irregular maritime arrivals or other persons;

(j) the health, safety and wellbeing of employees of Commonwealth agencies and/or their agents or contractors in performing their duties relating to irregular maritime arrivals or other persons detained in the network;

(k) the level, adequacy and effectiveness of reporting incidents and the response to incidents within the immigration detention network, includ­ing relevant policies, procedures, authorities and protocols;

(l) compliance with the Government's immigration detention values within the detention network;

(m) any issues relating to interaction with States and Territories regarding the detention and processing of irregular maritime arrivals or other persons;

(n) the management of good order and public order with respect to the immigration detention network;

(o) the total costs of managing and maintaining the immigration detention network and processing irregular maritime arrivals or other detainees;

(p) the expansion of the immigration detention network, including the cost and process adopted to establish new facilities;

(q) the length of time detainees have been held in the detention network, the reasons for their length of stay and the impact on the detention network;

(r) processes for assessment of protection claims made by irregular maritime arrivals and other persons and the impact on the detention network; and

(s) any other matters relevant to the above terms of reference;

(2) the committee consist of 11 members, 2 Members to be nominated by

the Government Whip or Whips, 2 Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 2 Members to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips, 2 Senators nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, 1 Member and 1 Senator nominated by the Aust­ralian Greens Whip, and 1 non-aligned member;

(3) participating members may be appointed to the committee. Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of a member of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint select committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time, whichever is the earlier;

(6) the committee shall elect a Government chair and deputy chair;

(7) the deputy chair shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee, and at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(9) 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include 1 Government member of either House and 1 non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine;

(11) the committee appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a casting vote only;

(12) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(13) 2 members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee;

(14) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee may conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(17) the committee or any subcommittee have power to adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the House of Representatives and the Senate;

(18) the committee may report to both Houses of Parliament from time to time and that it present its final report no later than 7 October 2011;

(19) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.

12:50 pm

Photo of Nick SherryNick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to have the message considered immediately.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate concurs with the resolution of the House of Representatives contained in message no. 173 relating to the appointment of a joint select committee.

Just to clarify for the Senate the provisions relating to the membership of the select committee, I inform senators that a reference to a non-aligned member relates to a member of the House of Representatives.

Question agreed to.