Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present report No. 60 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation reports and private members' business on Monday, 20 August 2012. The report will be printed in the Hansard for today and the committee's determination 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, 14 August 2012.

2. The committee determined the order of precedence and times to be allotted for consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members' business on Monday, 20 August 2012, as follows:

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

COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS

Presentation and statements

1    Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

More than just talk – Australia ' s Human Rights Dialogues with China and Vietnam

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10:20 a.m.

Speech time limits —

Mr L. D. T. Ferguson 5minutes.

Next Member speaking 5 minutes.

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

2    Standing Committee on Regional Australia

Report on certain matters relating to the proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10:30 a.m.

Speech time limits —

Mr Windsor 5minutes.

Next Member speaking 5 minutes.

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

3    Standing Committee on Health and Ageing

Discussion paper on late effects of polio/post-polio syndrome

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10:40 a.m.

Speech time limits —

Mr Georganas 5minutes.

Next Member speaking 5 minutes.

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

4    Delegation Report

Parliamentary Delegation to the European Parliament and Institutions and bilateral visit to Israel, 20 April – 4 May 2012

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10:50 a.m.

Speech time limits —

Mr Perrett 5minutes.

Next Member speaking 5 minutes.

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

5    Delegation Report

Report on the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the UK, Spain, Germany and the United States

The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10:55 a.m.

Speech time limits —

Dr Jensen 5minutes.

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

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1    Mr Christensen: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that the:

(a) proposal of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a once-in-a-generation landmark reform that has the potential to deliver better quality of life outcomes for Australians with disabilities;

(b) schedule for implementation of the NDIS, as proposed by the Productivity Commission, will take seven years, spanning the life of three Parliaments; and

(c) NDIS is a reform that involves the cooperation and support of state and territory governments, the disability support services sector, people with a disability and their families and carers;

(2) notes the bipartisan and cross-party support for the implementation of the NDIS;

(3) declares its support for policy stability on the NDIS over the life of those three Parliaments and until the scheme's full implementation; and

(4) resolves to immediately establish a Joint Select Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme which will:

(a) oversee the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme;

(b) be subject to terms of reference to be agreed upon by the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader and ratified by this House;

(c) be comprised of 4 Government members and/or Senators, 4 Opposition members and/or Senators, 1 Greens member and/or Senator and 1 non-aligned member and/or Senator;

(d) be jointly chaired by 1 Government member and 1 Opposition member; and

(e) remain in existence until the full implementation of the NDIS is achieved; and

(5) transmit a message to establish a Joint Select Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to the Senate for concurrence. (Notice given 22 May 2012.)

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

Speech time limits —

Mr Christensen 10 minutes.

Next 3 Members speaking 10 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue at a later hour.

Items for House of Representatives Chamber (8 to 9.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices—continued

2    Ms Parke: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the inaugural international parliamentary conference on 'Parliaments, minorities and Indigenous peoples: effective participation in politics' was held in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico from 31 October to 3 November 2010;

(b) the conference was organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Mexican Congress of the Union and Government of the State of Chiapas, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Independent Expert on minority issues and the Minority Rights Group International;

(c) the conference heard that many situations around the world demonstrate that an adequate representation of minorities and Indigenous peoples in policy and decision-making is instrumental in breaking the cycle of discrimination and exclusion suffered by members of these groups, and their ensuing disproportionate levels of poverty and related impediments to the full enjoyment of many civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, and yet, minorities and Indigenous peoples often remain excluded from effective participation in decision-making, including at the level of the national parliament;

(d) the conference adopted the Chiapas Declaration, which urges every parliament, within the next two years, to inter alia, hold a special debate on the situation of minorities and Indigenous peoples in their country, recognise the diversity in society, and adopt a 'plan of action' to make the right to equal participation and non-discrimination a reality;

(e) the Chiapas Declaration recommended that at a minimum the following elements are contained in the 'plans of action':

  (i) ensure that the right to free, prior and informed consent is observed in every step leading to the adoption of legislative and administrative measures affecting minorities and Indigenous peoples, and hold government to account for the implementation of such measures;

  (ii) require of government that all submissions to parliament of draft legislation and the national budget include an assessment of their impact on minorities and Indigenous peoples;

  (iii) make regular use of plenary sessions in parliament and other parliamentary fora to discuss minority/Indigenous matters in order to raise awareness and combat prejudice in society, organise awareness-raising sessions for all parliamentarians so as to increase their knowledge of minorities and Indigenous peoples and the particular problems they face, and ensure that minority and Indigenous issues are mainstreamed into parliamentary work, especially at the committee level;

  (iv) allocate sufficient resources to the task of establishing dialogue between minority/Indigenous peoples and public institutions and to parliamentary committees to allow them to carry out effective outreach activities such as public hearings with minority and Indigenous peoples; and

  (v) increase parliaments' familiarity with work being done within the United Nations system so as to equip them better to hold governments to account for their international commitments, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, urge ratification of International Labour Organisation Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, hold debates in parliament on the conclusions and recommendations made by the United Nations human rights treaty bodies and special mechanisms with regard to minority and Indigenous peoples' rights;

(f) the Chiapas Declaration also affirmed the responsibility of political parties to promote the effective participation of minorities and Indigenous peoples, and address their concerns in their party programs; and

(g) the IPU will facilitate networking among parliaments on this issue, monitor the implementation of the Chiapas Declaration and convene a follow-up meeting within two years to discuss progress and set targets for future action;

(2) urges the Government, parliamentarians, and political parties to familiarise themselves with the Chiapas Declaration; and

(3) calls upon the Government to facilitate a roundtable discussion with representatives of Australian Indigenous communities on issues arising from the Chiapas Declaration. (Notice given 19 June 2012.)

Time allotted 60 minutes

Speech time limits —

Ms Parke 10 minutes.

Next Member speaking 10 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 + 8 x 5 mins]

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

3    Mr Chester: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) that the carbon price came into effect on 1 July 2012;

(b) the Government's repeated assertions that only Australia's '500 biggest polluters' will pay the carbon price;

(c) community concern that the social and economic impacts of the carbon price have not been fully investigated;

(d) research that indicates the carbon price will have a disproportionate impact on small businesses, regional industries, and regional communities;

(e) concern:

  (i) regarding the impact of the carbon price on at least 104 councils in rural, regional and urban Australia which have received notices of potential liability from the Clean Energy Regulator; and

  (ii) within regional communities that the $200 million Regional Structural Adjustment Assistance Package is inadequate to meet the needs of adversely affected communities, particularly those exposed to the Government's 'contract for closure' policies; and

(g) that the Government's $36 million advertising campaign to promote the Household Assistance Package provides no information on the policy that has led to the payments to households; and

(2) highlights that the Government should have deferred the introduction of the carbon price until after the Australian public has had its say at the next election.

Time allotted remaining private Members ' business time prior to 9:30 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 (approx 11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1    Mr Gibbons: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that a vibrant, independent news media is an essential component of a healthy democracy; and

(2) considers that:

(a) the democratically essential concept of an independent news media not does equate to the unrestricted right of specific media owners, or the industry in general, to manage their businesses without a social licence to operate;

(b) recent developments in Australia, and in other democratic countries, including inappropriate relations between media owners and politicians, socially unacceptable methods of news gathering, socially unacceptable standards of factuality and veracity in news reporting, a failure to distinguish between factual news reporting and editorial opinion, falling circulations, declining sales revenues and failed business models, are all evidence, prima facie, of an industry that has lost its social licence to operate;

(c) market competition can be a valuable mechanism for maintaining general, socially acceptable standards of journalism, but the concentration of news media ownership in the hands of a few represents, prima facie, a competitive market failure requiring compensatory regulation to ensure socially acceptable outcomes; and

(d) as the only representative body democratically elected by all citizens of Australia, the Parliament of Australia is the appropriate body to determine what socially acceptable standards are expected from news media in this country and to legislate appropriately to ensure adherence to them; and such legislation should include:

  (i) the appointment of a politically-independent regulatory body to oversee adherence to statutorily-defined standards of news media behaviour;

  (ii) commercially significant sanctions for failures to comply with relevant statutory regulations; and

  (iii) adequate resourcing for such a regulatory body to enable it to enforce statutorily defined sanctions against financially and politically powerful news media owners. (Notice given 18 June 2012.)

Time allotted 30 minutes

Speech time limits —

Mr Gibbons 10 minutes.

Next Member speaking 10 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

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

2    Mr Chester: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) that the carbon price came into effect on 1 July 2012;

(b) the Government's repeated assertions that only Australia's '500 biggest polluters' will pay the carbon price;

(c) community concern that the social and economic impacts of the carbon price have not been fully investigated;

(d) research that indicates the carbon price will have a disproportionate impact on small businesses, regional industries, and regional communities;

(e) concern:

  (i) regarding the impact of the carbon price on at least 104 councils in rural, regional and urban Australia which have received notices of potential liability from the Clean Energy Regulator; and

  (ii) within regional communities that the $200 million Regional Structural Adjustment Assistance Package is inadequate to meet the needs of adversely affected communities, particularly those exposed to the Government's 'contract for closure' policies; and

(g) that the Government's $36 million advertising campaign to promote the Household Assistance Package provides no information on the policy that has led to the payments to households; and

(2) highlights that the Government should have deferred the introduction of the carbon price until after the Australian public has had its say at the next election.

Time allotted 90 minutes

Speech time limits —

Mr Chester 10 minutes.

Next 3 Members speaking 10 minutes each.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue at a later hour.

3    Mr Hayes: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) there are well over 100,000 people of Serbian origin currently living in Australia, with approximately 5 per cent in the electoral division of Fowler;

(b) the Australian Federal Police and Serbian Police recently signed an agreement to co-operate on trans-national crime including money laundering and drug trafficking, which is an example of the growing strength of Australia's bilateral relationship with the Republic of Serbia;

(c) the Republic of Serbia recently gained European Union candidate status which suggests an increased potential for future economic cooperation and provides an opportunity for large-scale investment from Australia and a strong cultural and educational exchange;

(d) in 2011, the trade between our two countries increased by 11 per cent; and

(e) since March 2012, Serbia has been awarded the preferential status under Australian Customs Act 1901, which has the potential to further increase the trade relations; and

(2) recognises:

(a) that significant progress has been made in Serbia and other countries in the region that participated in the devastating civil war, in moving away from conflict and towards reconciliation and cooperation; and

(b) the great economic, social and cultural contribution of the Serbian people to the vibrancy of our multicultural society.

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

Speech time limits —

Mr Hayes 10 minutes.

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 (6.30 to 9 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices—continued

4    Mr Christensen: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that the:

(a) proposal of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a once-in-a-generation landmark reform that has the potential to deliver better quality of life outcomes for Australians with disabilities;

(b) schedule for implementation of the NDIS, as proposed by the Productivity Commission, will take seven years, spanning the life of three Parliaments; and

(c) NDIS is a reform that involves the cooperation and support of state and territory governments, the disability support services sector, people with a disability and their families and carers;

(2) notes the bipartisan and cross-party support for the implementation of the NDIS;

(3) declares its support for policy stability on the NDIS over the life of those three Parliaments and until the scheme's full implementation; and

(4) resolves to immediately establish a Joint Select Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme which will:

(a) oversee the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme;

(b) be subject to terms of reference to be agreed upon by the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader and ratified by this House;

(c) be comprised of 4 Government members and/or Senators, 4 Opposition members and/or Senators, 1 Greens member and/or Senator and 1 non-aligned member and/or Senator;

(d) be jointly chaired by 1 Government member and 1 Opposition member; and

(e) remain in existence until the full implementation of the NDIS is achieved; and

(5) transmit a message to establish a Joint Select Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to the Senate for concurrence. (Notice given 22 May 2012.)

Time allotted 55 minutes

Speech time limits —

All Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 11 x 5 mins]

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

5    Dr Leigh: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the extraordinary athletic achievements of the late Peter Norman, who won the silver medal in the 200 metres sprint running event at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, in a time of 20.06 seconds, which still stands as the Australian record;

(2) acknowledges the bravery of Peter Norman in donning an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge on the podium, in solidarity with African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who gave the 'black power' salute;

(3) apologises to Peter Norman for the wrong done by Australia in failing to send him to the 1972 Munich Olympics, despite repeatedly qualifying; and

(4) belatedly recognises the powerful role that Peter Norman played in furthering racial equality. (Notice given 28 June 2012.)

Time allotted 35 minutes

Speech time limits —

Dr Leigh.— 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

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

6    Ms Smyth: To move:

That this House:

(1) condemns the Victorian Liberal Government for scrapping the 'School Start Bonus' and 'School-based Education Maintenance Allowance' payments and calls for them to be immediately reinstated; and

(2) considers that:

(a) the Victorian Liberal Government's cuts to the Education Maintenance Allowance will affect some of the most disadvantaged students across Victoria, and their families; and

(b) these cuts, combined with cuts which have already been made by the Victorian Government to Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning and the Victorian TAFE system, will cause long-lasting damage to the Victorian education system, particularly for those who are most at risk of leaving the school system early without proper skills and training. (Notice given 31 May 2012.)

Time allotted 40 minutes

Speech time limits —

Ms Smyth 5 minutes.

Other 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.

7    Ms Hall: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) Haemochromatosis Awareness Week is held from 13 to 19 August 2012 and aims to raise awareness of the symptoms and treatment of haemochromatosis;

(b) haemochromatosis is an iron overload disorder and is the most common genetic disorder in Australia; and

(c) more than 100,000 Australians, approximately 1 in 200 people with European ancestry, have the genetic predisposition for haemochromatosis;

(2) notes with concern that:

(a) the condition is seriously underdiagnosed even though haemochromatosis can be easily diagnosed by a simple blood test; and

(b) many people may be suffering from the symptoms without knowing the underlying cause;

(3) acknowledges the work of the voluntary advocacy and support group Haemochromatosis Australia in facilitating Haemochromatosis Awareness Week;

(4) recognises that the symptoms of iron overload include, at:

(a) lower levels, chronic fatigue and joint pain leading to arthritis; and

(b) higher levels, liver cancer, diabetes and serious tissue damage including the weakening of the heart muscle; and

(5) asks all Members to support Haemochromatosis Awareness Week by raising awareness of the condition in their electorates.

Time allotted remaining private Members ' business time prior to 9 pm

Speech time limits —

Ms Hall 5minutes.

Other 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.