House debates
Thursday, 7 December 2006
Committees
Reports: Government Responses
David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
For the information of honourable members I present a schedule of outstanding government responses to reports of House of Representatives and joint committees, incorporating reports tabled and details of government responses made in the period between 22 June 2006, the date of the last schedule, and 6 December 2006. Copies of the schedule are being made available to honourable members and it will be incorporated in Hansard.
The Schedule read as follows—
THE SPEAKER’S SCHEDULE OF OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO REPORTS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND JOINT COMMITTEES
(also incorporating reports tabled and details of Government responses made in the period between 22 June 2006, the date of the last schedule, and 6 December 2006)
7 December 2006
THE SPEAKER’S SCHEDULE OF OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO COMMITTEE REPORTS
On 7 December 2006, the Government presented its response to a schedule of outstanding Government responses to parliamentary committee reports tabled in the House of Representatives on 22 June 2006.
It is Government policy to respond to parliamentary committee reports within three months of their presentation. In 1978 the Fraser Government implemented a policy of responding in the House by ministerial statement within six months of the tabling of a committee report. In 1983, the Hawke Government reduced this response time to three months but continued the practice of responding by ministerial statement. The Keating Government generally responded by means of a letter to a committee chair, with the letter being tabled in the House at the earliest opportunity. In 1996, the Howard Government affirmed the commitment to respond to relevant parliamentary committee reports within three months of their presentation. The Government also undertook to clear, as soon as possible, the backlog of reports arising from previous Parliaments.
The attached schedule lists committee reports tabled and government responses to House and joint committee reports made since the last schedule was presented on 22 June 2006. It also lists reports for which the House has received no government response. A schedule of outstanding responses will continue to be presented at approximately six monthly intervals, generally in the last sitting weeks of the winter and spring sittings.
The schedule does not include advisory reports on bills introduced into the House of Representatives unless the reports make recommendations which are wider than the provisions of the bills and which could be the subject of a government response. The Government’s response to these reports is apparent in the resumption of consideration of the relevant legislation by the House. Also not included are reports from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, the House of Representatives Committee of Members’ Interests, the Committee of Privileges, the Publications Committee (other than reports on inquiries) and the Selection Committee. Government responses to reports of the Public Works Committee are normally reflected in motions for the approval of works after the relevant report has been presented and considered. Reports from other committees which do not include recommendations are only included when first tabled.
Reports of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit primarily make administrative recommendations but may make policy recommendations. A government response is required in respect of such policy recommendations made by the committee. However, responses to administrative recommendations are made in the form of an Executive Minute provided to, and subsequently tabled by, the committee. Agencies responding to administrative recommendations are required to provide an Executive Minute within 6 months of tabling a report. The committee monitors the provision of such responses. The schedule only includes reports with policy recommendations.
Description of Report | Date Tabled or Published1 | Date of Government Response2 | Responded in Period Specified3 |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (House, Standing) | |||
Unlocking the future: The report of the Inquiry into the Reeves Review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 | 30-08-99 | No response to date4 | No |
Many ways forward: Report of the inquiry into capacity building and service delivery in indigenous communities | 21-06-04 | 01-11-06 | No |
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (House, Standing) | |||
Inquiry into future water supplies for Australia’s rural industries and communities – Interim Report | 05-05-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Getting water right(s) – The future of rural Australia | 21-06-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Taking control: a national approach to pest animals | 28-11-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Private review of agency security arrangements | 13-10-03 | 07-09-06 | No |
Australian Crime Commission (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude | 24-06-04 | 09-11-06 | No |
Examination of the Australian Crime Commission Annual Report 2003-2004 | 23-06-05 | 17-08-06 | No |
Supplementary report to the Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude | 11-08-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Review of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 | 10-11-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Examination of the Australian Crime Commission Annual Report 2004-2005 | 19-10-06 | Time has not expired | |
Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (House, Standing) | |||
From reel to unreal: future opportunities for Australia’s film, animation, special effects and electronic games industries | 21-06-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Digital Television: Who’s Buying It? | 13-02-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Corporations and Securities (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Report on aspects of the regulation of proprietary companies | 08-03-01 | No response to date6 | No |
Corporations and Financial Services (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Report on the regulations and ASIC policy statements made under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001 | 23-10-02 | No response to date7 | No |
Inquiry into the review of the Managed Investments Act 1998 | 12-12-02 | No response to date8 | No |
Inquiry into Regulation 7.1.29 in Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (No.3), Statutory Rules 2003 No.85 | 26-06-03 | No response to date7 | No |
Money matters in the bush-Inquiry into the level of banking & financial services in rural, regional & remote areas of Australia | 15-01-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Report on the ATM fee structure | 15-01-04 | No response to date9 | No |
Corporations amendment regulations 2003 | 24-03-04 | No response to date7 | No |
Corporations Amendment Regulations 7.1.29A, 7.1.35A and 7.1.40(h) | 02-06-04 | No response to date10 | No |
Property Investment Advice – Safe as Houses? | 23-06-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Timeshare: The Price of Leisure | 05-09-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, December 2005 | 13-02-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Corporate responsibility: Managing risk and creating value | 21-06-06 | No response to date11 | No |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, August 2006 | 16-08-06 | No response to date | No |
Economics, Finance and Public Administration (House, Standing) | |||
Numbers on the run: Review of the ANAO Report no. 37 1998-1999 on the management of Tax File Numbers | 28-08-00 | No response to date12 | No |
Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual report 2003 | 21-06-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Improving the superannuation savings of people under 40 | 19-06-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia & Payments System Board Annual Report 2005 (First report) | 14-08-06 | No response to date | No |
Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report 2005 (Second report) | 04-12-06 | No response required | |
Electoral Matters (Joint, Standing) | |||
The 2004 Federal Election: Report of the Inquiry into the Conduct of the 2004 Federal Election and Matters Related Thereto | 10-10-05 | 31-08-06 | No |
Funding and Disclosure: Inquiry into disclosure of donations to political parties and candidates | 30-03-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Employment and Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation (House, Standing) | |||
Working for Australia’s future: increasing participation in the work force | 14-03-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Making it work: Inquiry into independent contracting and labour hire arrangements | 17-08-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Employment in the automotive component manufacturing sector | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Environment and Heritage (House, Standing) | |||
Public good conservation: Our challenge for the 21st century | 27-09-01 | No response to date5 | No |
Sustainable cities | 12-09-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Inquiry into a Sustainability Charter, Review of Green Office Procurement Audit (Interim Report) | 04-09-06 | No response to date | No |
Family and Community Services (House, Standing) | |||
Road to recovery: Report on the inquiry into substance abuse in Australian communities | 08-09-03 | 10-08-06 | No |
Family and Human Services (House, Standing) | |||
Overseas Adoption in Australia: Report on the inquiry into adoption of children from overseas | 21-11-05 | 14-09-06 | No |
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (Joint, Standing) | |||
Australia’s free trade agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the United States: progress to date and lessons for the future | 07-11-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Australia’s Defence Relations with the United States | 22-05-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Expanding Australia’s trade and investment relations with North Africa | 22-05-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Australia’s response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami | 22-06-06 | No response to date | No |
Australia’s relationship with the Republic of Korea; and developments on the Korean peninsula | 22-06-06 | No response to date | No |
Review of the Defence Annual Report 2004-05 | 16-10-06 | Time has not expired | |
Health and Ageing (House, Standing) | |||
The Blame Game: Report on the inquiry into health funding | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Industry, Science and Resources (House, Standing) | |||
Getting a better return: Inquiry into increasing the value added to Australian raw materials second report | 24-09-01 | No response to date5 | No |
Australia’s Uranium: Greenhouse friendly fuel for an energy hungry world | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Intelligence and Security (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Review of the listing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) | 26-04-06 | No response required | |
Review of administration and expenditure: Australian Intelligence Organisations Number 4 - Recruitment and Training | 14-08-06 | No response to date | No |
Annual Report of Committee Activities 2005-2006 | 11-09-06 | No response to date | No |
Review of the relisting of Al-Qa’ida and Jemaah Islamiyah as terrorist organisations | 16-10-06 | Times has not expired | |
Review of security and counter terrorism legislation | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Legal and Constitutional Affairs (House, Standing) | |||
The third paragraph of section 53 of the Constitution | 30-11-95 | No response to date | No |
Inquiry into crime in the community: victims, offenders and fear of crime | 11-08-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Review of technological protection measures exceptions | 01-03-06 | 19-10-06 | No |
Harmonisation of Legal Systems within Australia and between Australia and New Zealand | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Migration (Joint, Standing) | |||
Review of Audit Report No. 1 2005-2006: Management of Detention Centre Contracts Part B | 05-12-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Negotiating the maze: Review of arrangements for overseas skills recognition, upgrading and license | 11-09-06 | No response to date | No |
Report on the Parliamentary delegation to New Zealand: Australia – New Zealand Committee Exchange Program | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
National Capital and External Territories (Joint, Standing) | |||
Norfolk Island electoral matters | 26-08-02 | No response to date5 | No |
Antarctica: Australia’s Pristine Frontier. Report on the adequacy of funding for Australia’s Antarctic Program | 23-06-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Norfolk Island Financial Sustainability: The Challenge – Sink or Swim | 01-12-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Current and future governance arrangements for the Indian Ocean Territories | 13-06-06 | No response to date5 | |
Report on the visit to Norfolk Island 2-5 August 2006 | 16-10-06 | Time has not expired | |
Native Title and the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Land Account (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Report on the operation of Native Title Representative bodies | 21-03-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Examination of annual reports 2004-2005 | 21-03-06 | No response required | |
Procedure(House, Standing) | |||
House Estimates: consideration of the annual estimates by the House of Representatives | 13-10-03 | No response to date5 | No |
Media coverage of House proceedings including the Chamber, Main committee and committees (Final report) | 10-10-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Learning from other parliaments: study program 2006 | 04-09-06 | No response required | |
Maintenance of the standing and sessional orders: Second report – review of sessional orders adopted on 17 March 2005 and 9 February 2006; and other matters | 31-10-06 | 29-11-0613 | Yes |
Public Accounts and Audit(Joint, Statutory) | |||
Corporate governance and accountability arrangements for Commonwealth government business enterprises, December 1999 (Report No. 372) | 16-02-00 | No response to date5 | No |
Developments in aviation security since the committee’s June 2004 Report 400: Review of aviation security in Australia – An interim report (Report 406) | 07-12-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Review of Auditor-General’s reports tabled between 18 January and April 2005 | 04-09-06 | Time has not expired | |
Annual report 2005-2006 | 30-10-06 | No response required | |
Developments in Aviation Security since the Committee’s June 2004 Report 400: Review of Aviation Security in Australia | 04-12-06 | Time has not expired | |
Publications (Joint, Standing) | |||
Distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series | 29-05-06 | 02-11-0614 | No |
Science and Innovation (House, Standing) | |||
Second report of the inquiry into increasing the value added to Australian raw materials | 24-09-01 | No response to date5 | No |
Pathways to technological innovation | 19-06-06 | 30-11-06(interim) | No |
Transport and Regional Services (House, Standing) | |||
Regional aviation and island transport services: Making ends meet | 01-12-03 | No response to date5 | No |
Ship salvage | 21-06-04 | No response to date5 | No |
Treaties (Joint, Standing) | |||
The Australia – United States Free Trade Agreement(61st Report) | 23-06-04 | No response to date15 | No |
Treaties tabled on 7 December 2004 (previously tabled in May and June 2004)(63rd Report) | 14-12-04 | No response to date16 | No |
Treaties tabled on 7 December 2004 (3) and 8 February 2005(65th Report) | 20-06-05 | 10-08-06 | No |
Review of Treaty tabled on 29 November 2005 | 27-02-06 | No response required | |
Review of Treaties tabled on 29 November 2005 (2)
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