Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I present report No. 23 of the Selection Committee, relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday, 26 March 2018. The committee's determinations will appear on tomorrow's Notice Paper. Copies of the report have been placed on the table.

The report read as follows—

Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business

1. The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 27 February 2018.

2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 27 February 2018, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 26 March 2018, as follows:

Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)

COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS

Presentation and statements

1 AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

Report on Parliamentary Delegation to Greece and Turkey, September-October 2017.

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made — all statements to conclude by 10.20 am.

Speech time limits —

Mr R. G. Mitchell — 5minutes.

Next Member speaking — 5 minutes.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MS MCGOWAN: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Higher Education Support Act 2003, and for related purposes. (Higher Education Support Amendment (National Regional Higher Education Strategy) Bill 2018)

(Notice given 27 February 2018.)

Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.

2 MR BANDT: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act2009, and for related purposes. (Fair Work Amendment (Making Australia More Equal) Bill 2018)

(Notice given 6 February 2018.)

Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.

3 MR BANDT: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related purposes. (Fair Work Amendment (Better Work/Life Balance) Bill 2018)

(Notice given 15 February 2018.)

Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.

4 MR BANDT: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related purposes. (Fair Work Amendment (Tackling Job Insecurity) Bill 2018)

(Notice given 15 February 2018.)

Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.

5 MS HUSAR: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that the XXI Commonwealth Games will commence on the Gold Coast with the opening ceremony on Wednesday, 4 April 2018 and the closing ceremony on Sunday, 15 April 2018;

(2) notes that:

(a) more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth Nations and Territories will be competing;

(b) the athletes will compete in 275 events in 18 different sports and seven para-sports; and

(c) beach volleyball, para triathlon and women's Rugby Sevens will make their Commonwealth Games debuts and for the first time at a Commonwealth Games, an equal number of men's and women's medal events will be contested;

(3) acknowledges that this year the Commonwealth motto will be 'Share the Dream'; and

(4) encourages all Members of Parliament to support the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the Australian sports people representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

(Notice given 26 February 2018.)

Time allotted — 30minutes.

Speech time limits —

Ms Husar — 5minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

6 MR ROBERT: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 14 May 2018 is the 70th anniversary of the creation of the modern state of Israel, a seminal event that occurred in 1948; and

(b) congratulates Israel on an amazing seventy years of democracy, growth and prosperity;

(2) recognises that 15 July 2018 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the fateful Évian Conference, convened by President Roosevelt in 1938 in Évian-Jes-Bains France, with 31 countries, to discuss the issue of the plight of Jewish refugees fleeing the horror of Nazi persecution;

(3) notes that:

(a) the Australian Minister for Trade and Customs in 1938, Lieutenant Colonel T.W. White, declined to further assist the Jewish people, stating 'Australia has her own particular difficulties ... migration has naturally been predominantly British, and it (is not) desired that this be largely departed from while British settlers are forthcoming. Under the circumstances Australia cannot do more, for it will be appreciated that in a young country manpower from the source from which most of its citizens have sprung is preferred, while undue privileges cannot be given to one particular class of non-British subjects without injustices to others. It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing one by encouraging any scheme of large-scale foreign migration…I hope that the conference will find a solution of this tragic world problem';

(b) post Kristallnacht, when the Nazis burned Jewish synagogues, businesses and books, Australia did reassess its policy to admit 15,000 refugees over three years, compared to the previous quota of 1,800 per year;

(c) an estimated 6 million Jews and millions of others died during the Holocaust, exacerbated by the failure of Australia and other nations of the world to more fully protect the Jewish people; and

(d) Lieutenant-Colonel White's statement on behalf of the Government of Australia is still visible at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, as a representative response for all other nations' responses of indifference at the Évian Conference;

(4) states that this Parliament, as representative of all political parties and the people of Australia, issues a profound apology and says 'sorry' to the Jewish people for the indifference shown by the Parliament in 1938 that worsened the impact of the Holocaust; and

(5) notes that:

(a) in doing so, we seek to honour the memory of all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust and make right, a great wrong, perpetuated by Australia on the Jewish people;

(b) a request will be made for this motion to be presented to Yad Vashem this 70th year asking that the parliamentary apology be displayed beside Lieutenant-Colonel White's statement of 1938 that he issued on behalf of the Government of Australia; and

(c) this motion will be provided to the Knesset this 70th year, one parliament to another.

(Notice given on 26 February 2018.)

Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 12 noon.

Speech time limits —

Mr Robert — 10minutes.

Next Member speaking — 10 minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration

of this matter should continue on a future day.

Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MS CLAYDON: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) International Women's Day is celebrated on 8 March;

(b) the theme for 2018 is 'Press for Progress', recognising the strong and growing global momentum striving for gender equity; and

(c) now more than ever, governments must recommit to addressing entrenched gender inequities including:

  (i) high rates of family and domestic violence, sexual violence and harassment;

  (ii) pay inequity and the undervaluation of work in traditionally female industries; and

  (iii) the under-representation of women in Australian public life and leadership; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) end its complacency and ensure gender equality is a central priority for government; and

(b) commit to urgent action to improve Australian women's:

  (i) safety and physical security;

  (ii) economic security and retirement incomes;

  (iii) health and reproductive rights; and

  (iv) representation in Australian parliaments.

(Notice given 13 February 2018.)

Time allotted — 50minutes.

Speech time limits —

Ms Claydon — 5minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 10 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

2 MR ENTSCH: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 24 March is World Tuberculosis Day, and marks the anniversary of German Nobel laureate Dr Robert Koch's 1882 discovery of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis;

(b) tuberculosis is contagious and airborne, ranking as the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent;

(c) in 2016, 1.7 million people died from tuberculosis worldwide and 10.4 million people became sick with the disease, with over 60 per cent of cases occurring in countries in our region;

(d) large gaps in tuberculosis detection and treatment remain with 4.1 million cases of active tuberculosis that were not diagnosed and treated in 2016, including 600,000 children;

(e) Papua New Guinea (PNG) had one of the highest rates of tuberculosis infection in the Pacific in 2016, with an estimated 35,000 total cases including 2,000 drug-resistant cases, not taking into consideration the large number of cases that go unreported in many regions; and

(f) tuberculosis is:

  (i) the leading cause of death among HIV positive people globally—HIV weakens the immune system and is lethal in combination with tuberculosis, each contributing to the other's progress;

  (ii) now linked to non-communicable diseases like diabetes; and

  (iii) considered a preventable and treatable disease, however many current treatment tools—drugs, diagnostics and vaccines—are outdated and ineffective;

(2) recognises:

(a) the funding that Australia is providing to support the testing and treatment of tuberculosis in PNG, including the joint program with the World Bank, is already leading to an initiative to achieve universal testing for tuberculosis in Daru;

(b) the commitment of up to $75 million over five years for Product Development Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific Health Security Initiative to accelerate access to new therapeutics and diagnostics for drug resistant tuberculosis, and malaria and mosquito vector control—an increase in funding to build on the successes of Australia's previous investments;

(c) Australia's three year $220 million pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (2017-2019)—a fund that has supported tuberculosis testing and treatment to 17.4 million people since 2002, including over 8.2 million people in the Indo-Pacific region;

(d) that through our endorsement of the Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015, we made a bold commitment to end the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030; and

(e) the scheduling of the first United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis in September 2018, which will set out commitments to accelerate action towards ending tuberculosis as an epidemic and provide Australia with an opportunity to showcase the success of our investment in tuberculosis in our region; and

(3) calls on the Australian Government to attend the United Nations High-Level Meeting this year, and commit to increased Australian action and leadership on research and development, prevention, testing and treatment as part of the global effort to eradicate tuberculosis.

(Notice given 26 February 2018.)

Time allotted — 40minutes.

Speech time limits —

Mr Entsch — 10minutes.

Next Member speaking — 10 minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 4 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

3 MS SHARKIE: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the:

(a) OECD:

  (i) calculates that the average old age dependency ratio in Australia was 25 in 2017, and is projected to increase to 41 by 2050;

  (ii) calculates that Australia's expenditure on age pensions is currently 4 per cent of public spending, and is projected to be 4 per cent in 2050—this compares with 9 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for the OECD;

  (iii) stated that 'The old age income poverty rate in Australia is high at 26% compared to 13% across the OECD in 2015'; and

  (iv) further stated that 'While taking out lump sums create flexibility in retirement it can also increase the risk of falling into poverty in case retirees outlive their assets'; and

(b) Benevolent Society:

  (i) released 'The Adequacy of the Age Pension in Australia' report in September 2016, concluding from its research that 'The Aged Pension in Australia is inadequate'; and

  (ii) concluded that 'Home ownership constitutes the single biggest factor contributing to financial hardship among pensioners. Age pensioners who are renting, in particular those who are single, are the worst off'; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) establish an independent tribunal to assess the base rate of the pension and determine the best mechanism for annual review;

(b) increase the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance to reduce the gap between aged pensioners who are home owners and those who are renters; and

(c) establish a roundtable to review services provided to age pensioners.

(Notice given 13 February 2018.)

Time allotted — 30minutes.

Speech time limits —

Ms Sharkie — 5minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Orders of the day

SMALL BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT DEFENCE CONTRACTS: Resumption of debate (from11September2017) on the motion of Mr Wallace:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Government's record $200 billion investment in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities represents a unique opportunity for Australian businesses;

(b) many Australian businesses who first supplied defence materials to the Australian Government go on to export these products overseas; and

(c) Australia ranks thirteenth in the world for defence expenditure, but is only the twentieth largest exporter;

(2) congratulates the Government on its activities to date to encourage local small businesses to bid for Government defence contracts, including the 2016 Defence White Paper, and Integrated Investment Program, the Defence Industry Policy Statement and the Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC);

(3) welcomes the Government's efforts to develop a Defence Export Strategy to plan, guide and measure defence export outcomes that will support our foreign and trade policies, defence industry, defence capability and national security objectives; and

(4) encourages small and medium enterprises all over Australia to explore the opportunity to supply products and services for the ADF, and to contact the CDIC to learn more.

Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 1.30 pm.

Speech time limits —

All Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Orders of the day – continued

2 National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consumer Lease Reforms) Bill 2018 (Mr Hammond): Second reading—Resumption of debate (from26February2018).

Time allotted — 40minutes.

Speech time limits —

All Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

CREATION OF THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL: Debate to be resumed on the motion of Mr Robert—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 14 May 2018 is the 70th anniversary of the creation of the modern state of Israel, a seminal event that occurred in 1948; and

(b) congratulates Israel on an amazing seventy years of democracy, growth and prosperity;

(2) recognises that 15 July 2018 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the fateful Évian Conference, convened by President Roosevelt in 1938 in Évian-Jes-Bains France, with 31 countries, to discuss the issue of the plight of Jewish refugees fleeing the horror of Nazi persecution;

(3) notes that:

(a) the Australian Minister for Trade and Customs in 1938, Lieutenant Colonel T.W. White, declined to further assist the Jewish people, stating 'Australia has her own particular difficulties ... migration has naturally been predominantly British, and it (is not) desired that this be largely departed from while British settlers are forthcoming. Under the circumstances Australia cannot do more, for it will be appreciated that in a young country manpower from the source from which most of its citizens have sprung is preferred, while undue privileges cannot be given to one particular class of non-British subjects without injustices to others. It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing one by encouraging any scheme of large-scale foreign migration…I hope that the conference will find a solution of this tragic world problem';

(b) post Kristallnacht, when the Nazis burned Jewish synagogues, businesses and books, Australia did reassess its policy to admit 15,000 refugees over three years, compared to the previous quota of 1,800 per year;

(c) an estimated 6 million Jews and millions of others died during the Holocaust, exacerbated by the failure of Australia and other nations of the world to more fully protect the Jewish people; and

(d) Lieutenant-Colonel White's statement on behalf of the Government of Australia is still visible at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, as a representative response for all other nations' responses of indifference at the Évian Conference;

(4) states that this Parliament, as representative of all political parties and the people of Australia, issues a profound apology and says 'sorry' to the Jewish people for the indifference shown by the Parliament in 1938 that worsened the impact of the Holocaust; and

(5) notes that:

(a) in doing so, we seek to honour the memory of all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust and make right, a great wrong, perpetuated by Australia on the Jewish people;

(b) a request will be made for this motion to be presented to Yad Vashem this 70th year asking that the parliamentary apology be displayed beside Lieutenant-Colonel White's statement of 1938 that he issued on behalf of the Government of Australia; and

(c) this motion will be provided to the Knesset this 70th year, one parliament to another.

Time allotted — 30minutes.

Speech time limits —

All Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Notices – continued

4 MS BURNEY: To move:

That this House:

(1) observes:

(a) the National Partnership on Remote Housing (NPRH) is an agreement between the Australian Government and state/territory governments to deliver new and refurbished housing for remote and Indigenous communities; and

(b) that the NPRH agreement is due to expire on 30 June 2018;

(2) recognises that:

(a) over the last ten years, the NPRH has delivered in Queensland almost 1,150 new homes and 1,500 refurbished homes;

(b) the Australian Government's independent review into the partnership has highlighted the achievements of the Queensland Government;

(c) this program has built upon the capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils who, along with Indigenous businesses now deliver 80 per cent of housing construction and repairs; and

(d) nationally, an additional 5,500 homes are required by 2028 to account for population growth and to continue to reduce overcrowding;

(3) acknowledges that:

(a) without continued funding, loss of hundreds of local jobs and apprenticeships will occur;

(b) without funding, significant levels of violence—domestic and otherwise—will arise from overcrowded living conditions in some of the communities; and

(c) secure housing is a key element of the Australian Government's priority of 'Closing the Gap' responsibilities; and

(4) calls on the Australian Government to:

(a) urgently restore commitment to this program, in order to reduce overcrowding in discrete and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, through building new dwellings and continuing to maintain and refurbish existing dwellings; and

(b) commit to a ten-year continuation of Commonwealth funding in real terms, matching the same level as provided over the last ten years.

(Notice given 7 February 2018.)

Time allotted — 45minutes.

Speech time limits —

Ms Burney — 10minutes.

Other Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 1 x 10 mins + 7 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

Orders of the day – continued

3 ThinkUKnow program: Resumption of debate (from5February2018) on the motion of Mrs Marino:

That this House:

(1) recognises the:

(a) importance of educating and protecting our children in the online space; and

(b) work of the Australian Federal Police through the ThinkUKnow program, a free, evidence based cyber safety program, to provide educational presentations to parents, carers and teachers, and students across Australia;

(2) congratulates the Australian Government on passing the Criminal Code Amendment (Protecting Minors Online) Act 2017, also known as Carly's Law, which targets online predators preparing or planning to cause harm to, procure or engage in sexual activity with a child; and

(3) recognises the new law is a testament to Sonya Ryan, who has advocated for this since her 15 year old daughter Carly was murdered a decade ago by an online predator posing as a teenage boy.

Time allotted — 20minutes.

Speech time limits —

All Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

XXI COMMONWEALTH GAMES: Debate to be resumed on the motion of Ms Husar—That this House:

(1) acknowledges that the XXI Commonwealth Games will commence on the Gold Coast with the opening ceremony on Wednesday, 4 April 2018 and the closing ceremony on Sunday, 15 April 2018;

(2) notes that:

(a) more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth Nations and Territories will be competing;

(b) the athletes will compete in 275 events in 18 different sports and seven para-sports; and

(c) beach volleyball, para triathlon and women's Rugby Sevens will make their Commonwealth Games debuts and for the first time at a Commonwealth Games, an equal number of men's and women's medal events will be contested;

(3) acknowledges that this year the Commonwealth motto will be 'Share the Dream'; and

(4) encourages all Members of Parliament to support the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the Australian sports people representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 7.30 pm

Speech time limits —

All Members — 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.

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