Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have received a message from the Senate informing the House that it concurs with the resolution of appointment of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network, subject to the Senate’s proposed amendments. Given the length of the proposed resolution, I do not intend to read the terms of it. They will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and incorporated in Hansard. Copies of the message have been placed on the table.

The message read as follows—

Senators have been appointed to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network as follows, Senators Birmingham, Fisher and Macdonald as members; and Senators Abetz, Adams, Back, Barnett, Bernardi, Boswell, Boyce, Brandis, Bushby, Cash, Colbeck, Coonan, Cormann, Eggleston, Ferguson, Fierravanti-Wells, Fifield, Heffernan, Humphries, Johnston, Joyce, Kroger, Mason, McGauran, Minchin, Nash, Parry, Payne, Ronaldson, Ryan, Scullion, Troeth, Trood and Williams as participating members.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the message be considered immediately.

Senate’s amendments—

(1)

Omit paragraph (4), substitute:

(4)

that participating members may be appointed to the Committee. Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the Committee, and have all the rights of a member of the Committee, but may not vote on any questions before the Committee;

(2)

After paragraph (7), insert:(7A)    that the Committee elect a member as its Deputy Chair who shall act as Chair of the Committee at any time when the Chair is not present at a meeting of the Committee, and at any time when the Chair and Deputy Chair are not present at a meeting of the Committee the members shall elect another member to act as Chair at that meeting;

(7A)

that the Committee elect a member as its Deputy Chair who shall act as Chair of the Committee at any time when the Chair is not present at a meeting of the Committee, and at any time when the Chair and Deputy Chair are not present at a meeting of the Committee the members shall elect another member to act as Chair at that meeting;

(3)

Omit paragraph (8), substitute:

(8)

that, in the event of an equally divided vote, the Chair, or the Deputy Chair when acting as Chair, have a casting vote;

(4)

Paragraph (9), omit “three”, substitute “five”

These are largely technical amendments. They simply mean that there will be the appointment of a deputy chair, which is standard procedure when it comes to the creation of committees. It will change the quorum requirement from three to five members. The government believe this is an important committee. It will be chaired by the independent member for Lyne. The committee is very broad in terms of its scope of inquiry, and the government commends the resolution, as amended, to the House.

Question agreed to.