Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the 12th report of 2020 of the Selection of Bills Committee and seek leave to have the report incorporated into the Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 12 OF 2020

9 December 2020

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Senator Dean Smith (Government Whip, Chair)

Senator Perin Davey (The Nationals Whip)

Senator Stirling Griff (Centre Alliance Whip)

Senator Pauline Hanson (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Whip)

Senator Rachel Siewert (Australian Greens Whip)

Senator Anne Urquhart (Opposition Whip)

Senator Raff Ciccone

Senator Katy Gallagher

Senator Jacqui Lambie

Senator the Hon James McGrath

Senator Rex Patrick

Senator the Hon Anne Ruston

Secretary:   Tim Bryant

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 at 7.20 pm.

2. The committee recommends that—

(a) the Australian Education Legislation Amendment (Prohibiting the Indoctrination of Children) Bill 2020 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by the first Monday in July 2021 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) the provisions of the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2020, and the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2020, and the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2020, and the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2020, and the Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 11 March 2021 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c) the provisions of the National Collecting Institutions Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 29 January 2021 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) the provisions of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(e) the provisions of the Regulatory Powers (Standardisation Reform) Bill 2020 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 19 February 2021 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral).

(f) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2020 be referred but was unable to reach agreement on a committee and a reporting date (see appendix 6 for a statement of reasons for referral).

3.   The committee recommends that the following bills not be referred to committees:

Corporations (Fees) Amendment (Hayne Royal Commission Response) Bill 2020

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

Data Availability and Transparency (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020

National Emergency Declaration (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020

5. The committee considered the following bill but was unable to reach agreement:

(Dean Smith)

Chair

9 December 2020

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Australian Education Legislation Amendment (Prohibiting the Indoctrination of Children) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Whether the Federal Government should tie education funding to parental rights

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Groups for and against gender fluidity theory being taught in schools. Educationalists generally.

Committee to which bill Is to be referred:

Senate Standing Committee on Education and Environment

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined

Possible reporting date:

July 2021

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bills:

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2020 Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To examine the timeline of the delivery of the bills, the nature and extent of the consultation process, the suitability of the framework and its interactions with other legislation, and other relevant considerations.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Accord

Australian Paint Manufacturers Federation

Chemistry Australia

Department of Health, Western Australia

Fire Protection Association Australia

Gowans, Andrew

International Fragrance Association (IFRA)

Minerals Council of Australia

Rae, Professor Ian D.

South Australian Water Corporation

Willson Consulting

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

11 March 2021

Appendix 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

National Collecting Institutions Legislation Amendment Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

This bill affects six of the national institutions, and in complex and different ways. We want to make sure they all have been consulted, and are given the opportunity to raise concerns about how the proposals would impact them.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

The six national institutions affected, and the CPSU.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Only one day is likely to be needed. To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

29 January 2021

Appendix 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Securing Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Potential consumer harms arising from decision to amend responsible lending laws

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Consumer groups, finance industry, finance professionals, affected individuals, academics, business groups, economists,

Treasury, regulatory bodies

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

29 April 2021

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To understand the effect of the Bill on the national economy and financial stability.

To understand the effect of the Bill on household wellbeing.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Financial regulators

Consumer groups

Academics and think tanks Financial service providers

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics

Possible hearing date(s):

January and February 2021

Possible reporting date:

March 2021

Appendix 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Regulatory Powers (Standardisation Reform) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The Parliament should ensure it is properly drafted and there are no unintended consequences

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Law Council and other legal bodies

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

12 March 2021

Appendix 6

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Code) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To ensure that the proposed news media code will support public interest journalism in Australia

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Media organisations

Digital platforms

ACCC

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

15th February 2021

Appendix 7

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Makes very significant changes to industrial relations policy that will impact all Australian workers.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Unions, employer groups, FWC, FWO

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education and Employment

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

13 May 2021

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The Bill is large and complex with major changes to industrial relations legislation that will have a significant impact on workers.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Workers' representatives/Union movement, academia, community groups, employer groups

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

12 March 2021

I move:

That the report be adopted.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move an amendment to the motion for adoption of the report:

At the end of the motion, add:

"but, in respect of the provisions of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020, the Economics Legislation Committee report by 12 March 2021."

There is one area where we would like an amendment. It's in relation to the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020: that it go to the Economics Legislation Committee for report by 12 March. The reason we would like this is that this bill reverses the first recommendations of the banking royal commission: that the government should not touch the responsible lending laws. If the government is serious about scrapping the responsible lending laws, we need a chance to find out what the harm to consumers will be. Eliza Wu, associate professor of finance at the University of Sydney, has said these laws may sow the seeds for the next financial crisis. So I think it is reasonable that the Senate be given the time for a relatively short inquiry, once you take out the Christmas break, to report back to this chamber by 12 March. I hope other senators can support that amendment.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I indicate our support for that amendment.

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If it assists the chamber, I will be supporting this amendment.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment to the Selection of Bills Committee report, as moved by Senator Gallagher, be agreed to.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add "and:

(a) in respect of the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2020, the provisions of the bill be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 February 2021; and

(b) in respect of the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020, the provisions of the bill be referred to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 March 2021."

Question agreed to.

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add:

"but, in respect of the Customs Amendment (Banning Goods Produced By Uyghur Forced Labour) Bill 2020, the bill be referred immediately to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 May 2021."

Question agreed to.

Original question, as amended, agreed to.