Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on the effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia agenda, be established to inquire into and report on the effectiveness of the objectives, design, implementation and evaluation of the Australian Government's Northern Australia agenda, with particular reference to:

(a) facilitation of public and private investment in infrastructure and economic development;

(b) economic and social benefit arising from that investment for Northern Australians, in particular First Nations people;

(c) funding models and policy measures that capture the full value of existing and emerging industries;

(d) measures taken to develop an appropriately skilled workforce;

(e) emerging national and international trends and their impact on the Northern Australia agenda; and

(f) any related matters.

(2) That the committee present its final report on or before the final sitting day of 2020.

(3) That the committee consist of 7 senators, as follows:

(a) 2 nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

(b) 3 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate;

(c) 1 nominated by minor party and independent senators; and

(d) 1 nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens.

(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; and

(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.

(5) That 4 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee.

(6) 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.

(7) That the committee elect as chair a member nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and as deputy chair a member nominated by the committee.

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

(9) That, in the event of an equality of voting, 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 2 or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to consider.

(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 and 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 of the Senate.

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

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government opposes the formation of this committee proposed to be led by a Labor-Green alliance. The Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia is already an adequate forum to explore these issues and is expected to be resumed for this parliament. The duplication is only additional work for the committee staff.

Question agreed to.