Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Duniam, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2026:

The illegal tobacco crisis in Australia, with particular reference to:

(a) the scale and nature of the illegal tobacco market, including the volume and value of illicit tobacco trade; sources, distribution channels and methods of smuggling or illegal cultivation; and the involvement of transnational serious and organised crime (TSOC) groups;

(b) the impact of illegal tobacco on public health and on government revenue, including smoking rates and the loss of Commonwealth excise and customs revenue;

(c) law enforcement, intelligence and regulatory responses, including the adequacy of:

(i) penalties and deterrence measures,

(ii) the strategy and effectiveness of onshore and offshore disruption activities, and

(iii) the current legislative and regulatory frameworks and the current levels of inter-government and inter-agency co-operation;

(d) the social and economic impacts, including on legitimate retailers, especially small businesses in regional and rural areas; the public health implications arising from the spread of unregulated tobacco products; and the safety implications for communities affected by illegal operations;

(e) forecasts, modelling and plausible future scenarios concerning the potential evolution of the illicit tobacco threat, including the prospect for increased violence and the effect of illicit tobacco on the wider TSOC threat;

(f) options for reform, including potential amendments to existing policies and to taxation, customs and/or criminal laws; and

(g) any other related matters.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that business of the Senate No. 9, standing in the name of Senator Duniam, be agreed to.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 June 2026:

Offshore processing and resettlement arrangements, with particular reference to:

(a) Australia's arrangements since 2022 with the Republic of Nauru, Papua New Guinea and other countries for offshore processing and resettlement programs, including:

(i) the payments made by the Australian Government to the primary contractors and subcontractors involved in offshore processing and resettlement programs,

(ii) the payments made by the Australian Government to other third parties involved in offshore processing and resettlement programs,

(iii) the outcomes and effect of payments made to primary contractors and subcontractors involved in offshore processing and resettlement programs and other relevant third parties, and

(iv) the integrity of arrangements made for the delivery of services and value money for Australian taxpayers; and

(b) any other related matters.

Question agreed to.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I ask that the government's opposition to that motion be recorded.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I ask that our opposition to that motion be recorded as well, please.