House debates
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Committees
Reports: Government Responses
3:31 pm
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 6 December 2006, the date of the last schedule, and 20 June 2007. Copies of the schedule are being made available to honourable members and it will be incorporated in Hansard.
The schedule read as follows
On 21 June 2007, the Government presented its response to a schedule of outstanding Government responses to parliamentary committee reports tabled in the House of Representatives on 7 December 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 attached schedule lists committee reports tabled and government responses to House and joint committee reports made since the last schedule was presented on 7 December 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. Reports which do not contain policy recommendations are only included when first tabled.
21 June 2007
Description of Report | Date Tabledor 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 formal response to date4 | No |
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | |||
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 |
Skills: Rural Australia’s need | 26-02-07 | No response to date | No |
Australian Crime Commission (Joint, Statutory) | |||
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 | No response to date5 | No |
Inquiry into the manufacture, importation and use of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs (AOSD) | 28-02-07 | No response to date | No |
Examination of the Australian Crime Commission Annual Report 2005-06 | 18-06-07 | 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 date6 | No |
Digital Television: Who’s Buying It? | 13-02-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Community Television: Options for digital broadcasting | 12-02-07 | No response to date | No |
Report: Tuning In To Community Broadcasting | 20-06-07 | Time has not expired | |
Corporations and Securities(Joint, Statutory) | |||
Report on aspects of the regulation of proprietary companies | 08-03-01 | No response to date7 | 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 date8 | No |
Inquiry into the review of the Managed Investments Act 1998 | 12-12-02 | No response to date5 | 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 date8 | 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 date9 | No |
Report on the ATM fee structure | 15-01-04 | No response to date10 | No |
Corporations amendment regulations 2003 | 24-03-04 | No response to date8 | No |
Corporations Amendment Regulations 7.1.29A, 7.1.35A and 7.1.40(h) | 02-06-04 | No response to date11 | No |
Property Investment Advice – Safe as Houses? | 23-06-05 | No response to date12 | 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 date5 | No |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, August 2006 | 16-08-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Corporations Amendment (Takeovers) Bill 2006 [Exposure Draft] | 23-02-07 | No response to date | No |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 01-03-07 | No response to date | No |
Corporations Amendment (Insolvency) Bill 2007 [Exposure Draft]; Corporations and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Amendment Regulations 2007 [Exposure Draft] | 29-03-07 | Time has not expired | |
Corporations Legislation Amendment (Simpler Regulatory System) Bill 2007 and related bills | 19-06-07 | Time has not expired | |
Economics, Finance and Public Administration (House, Standing) | |||
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 date5 | No |
Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report 2005 (Second report) | 04-12-06 | No response required | |
Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report 2006 (First Report) | 21-05-07 | No response required | |
Servicing our future – Inquiry into the current and future directions of Australia’s services export sector | 18-06-07 | Time has not expired | |
Education and Vocational Training(House, Standing) | |||
Top of the class: Report of the inquiry into teacher education | 26-02-07 | No response to date | No |
Electoral Matters(Joint, Standing) | |||
Funding and Disclosure: Inquiry into disclosure of donations to political parties and candidates | 30-03-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Civics and electoral education | 18-06-07 | Time has not expired | |
Employment and Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation(House, Standing) | |||
Working for Australia’s future: increasing participation in the work force | 14-03-05 | 22-05-07 | No |
Making it work: Inquiry into independent contracting and labour hire arrangements | 17-08-05 | No response to date5 | No |
Shifting gears: Employment in the automotive component manufacturing sector | 04-12-06 | 09-05-07 | No |
Current vacancies: Workforce challenges facing the Australian tourism sector | 18-06-07 | Time has not expired | |
Environment and Heritage(House, Standing) | |||
Public good conservation: Our challenge for the 21st century | 27-09-01 | No response to date13 | 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 date5 | No |
Family and Human Services(House, Standing) | |||
Balancing Work and Family | 07-12-06 | No response to date | 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 | 29-03-07 | No |
Australia’s Defence Relations with the United States | 22-05-06 | 01-03-07 | No |
Expanding Australia’s trade and investment relations with North Africa | 22-05-06 | 31-05-07 | No |
Australia’s relationship with the Republic of Korea; and developments on the Korean peninsula | 22-06-06 | 29-03-07 | No |
Review of the Defence Annual Report 2004-05 | 16-10-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Review of Australia-New Zealand trade and investment relations | 07-12-06 | 24-05-07 | No |
Review of Australia’s relationship with Malaysia | 26-03-07 | Time has not expired | |
Health and Ageing(House, Standing) | |||
The Blame Game: Report on the inquiry into health funding | 04-12-06 | No response to date5 | No |
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 | 01-03-07 | No |
Industry and Resources(House, Standing) | |||
Australia’s Uranium: Greenhouse friendly fuel for an energy hungry world | 04-12-06 | 29-03-07 | No |
Intelligence and Security(Joint, Statutory) | |||
Review of administration and expenditure: Australian Intelligence Organisations Number 4 - Recruitment and Training | 14-08-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Annual Report of Committee Activities 2005-2006 | 11-09-06 | No response required | |
Review of the relisting of Al-Qa’ida and Jemaah Islamiyah as terrorist organisations | 16-10-06 | No response required | |
Review of security and counter terrorism legislation | 04-12-06 | No response to date5 | No |
26-02-07 | No response required | ||
Review of the re-listing of Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn (TQJBR) as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code Act 1995 | 09-05-07 | No response required | |
Review of the re-listing of Ansar al-Sunna, JeM, LeJ, EIJ, IAA, AAA and IMU as terrorist organisations | 12-06-07 | No response required | |
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 | 12-06-07 | No |
Harmonisation of Legal Systems within Australia and between Australia and New Zealand | 04-12-06 | No response to date5 | |
The long road to statehood: Report of the inquiry into the federal implications of statehood for the Northern Territory | 28-05-07 | 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 | 24-05-07 | No |
Negotiating the maze: Review of arrangements for overseas skills recognition, upgrading and license | 11-09-06 | No response to date5 | No |
Report on the Parliamentary delegation to New Zealand: Australia – New Zealand Committee Exchange Program | 04-12-06 | No response required | |
National Capital and External Territories (Joint, Standing) | |||
Norfolk Island electoral matters | 26-08-02 | No response to date14 | No |
Antarctica: Australia’s Pristine Frontier. Report on the adequacy of funding for Australia’s Antarctic Program | 23-06-05 | 01-03-07 | No |
Norfolk Island Financial Sustainability: The Challenge – Sink or Swim | 01-12-05 | No response to date14 | No |
Current and future governance arrangements for the Indian Ocean Territories | 13-06-06 | 14-06-07 | No |
Report on the visit to Norfolk Island 2-5 August 2006 | 16-10-06 | No response required | |
Review of the Griffin Legacy Amendments | 26-03-07 | Time has not expired | No |
Native Title and the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Land Account (Joint, Statutory) | |||
Report on the operation of Native Title Representative bodies | 21-03-06 | 15-02-07 | No |
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 date15 | No |
Learning from other parliaments: study program 2006 | 04-09-06 | No response required | |
Encouraging an interactive Chamber | 07-12-06 | No response to date | No |
Motion to suspend standing orders and condemn a Member: Report on events of 10 October 2006 | 07-12-06 | No response to date | No |
Public Accounts and Audit(Joint, Statutory) | |||
Corporate governance and accountability arrangements for Commonwealth government business enterprises, December 1999(Report No. 372) | 16-02-00 | 10-05-07 | 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 |
Annual report 2005-2006 (Report 408) | 30-10-06 | No response required | |
Developments in Aviation Security since the Committee’s June 2004 Report 400: Review of Aviation Security in Australia (Report 409) | 04-12-06 | No response to date5 |