Senate debates

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Committees

Establishment of a Select Committee for Electric Vehicles

3:53 pm

Photo of Tim StorerTim Storer (SA, Independent) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Electric Vehicles, be established to inquire into and report on the following matters:

(a) the potential economic, environmental and social benefits of widespread electric vehicle uptake in Australia;

(b) opportunities for electric vehicle manufacturing and electric vehicle supply and value chain services in Australia, and related economic benefits;

(c) measures to support the acceleration of electric vehicle uptake;

(d) measures to attract electric vehicle manufacturing and electric vehicle supply and value chain manufacturing to Australia;

(e) how federal, state and territory Governments could work together to support electric vehicle uptake and manufacturing, supply, and value chain activities; and

(f) any other related matters.

(2) That the committee present its final report on or before 17 October 2018.

(3) That the committee consist of six senators, two nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, one nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens, and Senator Storer.

(4) That:

(a) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or independent senator;

(b) participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee; and

(c) a participating member shall be taken to be a member of the committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.

(5) That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

(6) That Senator Storer be appointed as chair of the committee, and the committee elect a member nominated by the Leader of the Opposition as deputy chair.

(7) That the deputy chair shall act as chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

(8) That the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of the committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.

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

(10) That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to examine.

(11) That the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings, the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

(12) That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

(13) That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such documents and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

Question agreed to.