John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation, I seek leave to make a statement on the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2013 in discharge of the committee's requirement to provide an advisory report on the bill. I present a copy of my statement.

Leave granted.

The committee has endorsed the content of this statement. The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2013, a government bill, was introduced to the House of Representatives on 21 March 2013. On the same day it was referred to both the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee and the Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation. The bill was referred to this committee by the House of Representatives Selection Committee and the reason for the referral was:

There has not been the opportunity to properly scrutinise the changes proposed in this bill or their potential impacts.

The Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation was established on 14 March 2013 under a resolution of appointment 'to inquire into and report on potential areas for further reform of Australia's broadcasting legislation'. The bill in question deals with telecommunications. Therefore it would appear that it is not within the remit of the terms of reference of this committee. Furthermore, the Senate committee reported on the bill on 13 June 2013. The opportunity for proper scrutiny of the bill has been made possible through the work of the Senate committee. It is the view of the Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation that to adopt this concurrent inquiry would be an unnecessary duplication of process. This statement discharges the requirement to provide an advisory report on the bill.

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