Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present report No. 19 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private member's business on Monday, 27 November 2017. The report will be printed in the Hansard for today and 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, 24 October 2017.

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, 24 October 2017, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 27 November 2017, as follows:

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

COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS

Presentation and statements

1 Publications Committee:

Inquiry into the printing standards for documents presented to Parliament: 2017 Report

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

Speech time limits—

Mr Christensen—5 minutes.

Next Member speaking—5 minutes.

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

PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MR BANDT: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related purposes. (Fair Work Amendment (Improving National Employment Standards) Bill 2017)

(Notice given 24 October 2017.)

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 MS L. M. CHESTERS: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) National Asbestos Awareness Week is 27 November to 1 December;

(b) as part of this year's events, the Australian Government Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (Agency) is holding the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Summit (Summit) in Canberra;

(c) this year's Summit will focus on debate on Australia's next National Strategic Plan to eliminate asbestos nationwide;

(d) the Agency has raised concerns over workplace safety following the 100 workers who were exposed to asbestos while working on the Sydney Opera House renovation in July 2017;

(e) it is unclear how many further building sites across Australia contain asbestos or how many workers are unknowingly exposed to asbestos each day; and

(f) the Agency advised the Senate Economics References Committee's inquiry into non-conforming building products that building products containing asbestos are being imported to Australia contrary to Australian law;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) Australia has one of the highest rates of asbestos related deaths and injury in the world, with 33,000 people already having lost their lives to asbestos;

(b) around 700 Australians die each year from asbestos related diseases, and without proper management experts worry that tens of thousands of Australians could be diagnosed with asbestos related diseases in the coming decades; and

(c) experts believe that 20,000 to 25,000 Australians will die from asbestos or asbestos related illnesses before the end of this century;

(3) condemns the Government's inaction and silence on the dangers of asbestos, despite warnings provided to the Senate inquiry; and

(4) calls on the Government to:

(a) give greater importance to stopping asbestos importers at the border and immediately increase the penalties for illegal asbestos contamination on Australian building sites; and

(b) create greater transparency and accountability between the Australian Border Force and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in their dealings with asbestos related importations.

(Notice given 24 October 2017.)

Time allotted—45 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Ms L. M. Chesters—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]

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

3 MR VAN MANEN: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the importance of the trade and economic relationship between Australia and Japan;

(2) welcomes the sixty year anniversary since the signing of the Australia-Japan Agreement on Commerce;

(3) notes the significant opportunities offered by the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement for Australian exporters;

(4) recognises and celebrates the significant role of Japanese investment in Australia's economy, noting that this investment is creating and supporting Australian jobs;

(5) notes the ongoing cooperation and commitment between Australia and Japan to open markets and a strong, rules-based global trading system; and

(6) encourages the Australian Government to continue its economic cooperation with Japan to the mutual benefit of both countries, to create jobs and support prosperity in both our nations.

(Notice given 24 October 2017.)

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

Speech time limits—

Mr van Manen—10 minutes.

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 should continue on a future day.

Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MS VAMVAKINOU: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) Amnesty International has evidence that hundreds of Rohingya women, men and children have been killed since the escalation of a violent assault in Northern Arakan/Rakhine State, Myanmar, since 25 August 2017;

(b) the United Nations has estimated that since August 2017, over 589,000 Rohingyas have been forced to flee to refugee camps in Bangladesh;

(c) there are at least another 20,000 Rohingyas being detained at the borders;

(d) the United Nations Human Rights Council has witnessed accounts and heard testimonies of the Myanmar security force setting villages on fire and injuring, torturing, raping, killing and executing innocent victims;

(e) 214 villages have been destroyed through fire and will be taken over by the Myanmar Government because burnt land becomes government-managed land;

(f) the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, has called these government attacks 'a textbook example of ethnic cleansing';

(g) approximately 600,000 people are still deadlocked inside Rakhine State with limited access to food, medical care or humanitarian assistance;

(h) despite the history of the Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine region extending back the post-colonial era, this community has been denied citizenship and most basic government services under since 1982; and

(i) the treatment of Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine region is an issue that deeply concerns the Australian community; and

(2) urges:

(a) the Government of Myanmar to:

(i) recommit to the pursuit of peace and national reconciliation; and

(ii) allow access to all parts of Rakhine State to allow for the provision of humanitarian aid;

(b) the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs to:

(i) do everything in her power to help alleviate the suffering in Rakhine State;

(ii) lead the push for a strong United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the violence in Rakhine State, and

(iii) work to establish an independent United Nations investigation into human rights abuses in Myanmar; and

(c) the Australian Government to:

(i) support unimpeded humanitarian access to the Rohingya population;

(ii) maintain pressure on the Myanmar Government, particularly the military and security forces, by condemning the persecution, attacks, killings and human rights abuses of the Rohingyas; and

(iii) stand up for the moderate voices in Myanmar which are being widely suppressed by the threat of persecution by the Myanmar military.

(Notice given 23 October 2017.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Ms Vamvakinou—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

2 MR WALLACE: To move:

That this House:

(1) welcomes the Government's action to make our cities better places to live in and do business through ongoing City Deal developments in Townsville, Launceston, Western Sydney and Darwin;

(2) notes that:

(a) City Deals:

(i) bring together all three levels of Government to develop collective plans for growth with a focus on jobs, housing, transport and the environment; and

(ii) are already delivering firm commitments and real benefits for communities, including the $250 million North Queensland Stadium, the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor, movement of the University of Tasmania's main campus and the rejuvenation of the CBD in Launceston;

(b) further benefits through City Deals are under development, including the Western Sydney Housing Package and the redevelopment of Paterson Barracks in Launceston;

(3) commends the Government for continuing to encourage and pursue new City Deals with other regional cities around Australia, including areas such as the Sunshine Coast; and

(4) encourages state and territory governments and local councils in regional cities, especially on the Sunshine Coast, to work closely with their local Members of Parliament and the Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation to develop City Deals for their eligible communities.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Wallace—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

3 MS SHARKIE: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) plastic bags are detrimental to the environment;

(b) Australians use an estimated 5 billion plastic bags a year, which represents over 20 million bags used every day;

(c) research has indicated that as of 2013, approximately 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic have been floating in our world's oceans—these are mostly microplastics of less than 5 millimetres in size and are regularly eaten by marine life, through which they enter the global food chain and are consumed by humans;

(d) thousands of marine mammals and seabirds die every year around the world as a result of plastic litter;

(e) plastic bags are particularly bad for the environment because they take from between 20 and 1,000 years to biodegrade and can travel long distances via air and water;

(f) South Australia led the nation with the phasing out of lightweight non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags, which state legislation defines as a carry bag, the body of which comprises (in whole or in part) polyethylene with a thickness of less than 35 microns and includes handles;

(g) South Australia's ban on plastic shopping bags came into force on 4 May 2009; and

(h) the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority estimates that the state's ban on plastic shopping bags has resulted in almost 400 million fewer plastic bags in that state each year; and

(2) calls on the:

(a) state governments yet to enact a ban on lightweight non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags to do so with speed and urgency; and

(b) Australian Government to work with the state Governments to implement a national ban on lightweight non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags by the end of 2018.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Ms Sharkie—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

4 MR COULTON: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the important contribution that the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Efic) makes to supporting Australian exporters;

(2) notes the recent passage of the Insurance Corporation Amendment (Support for Commonwealth Entities) Bill 2016 through the Parliament with bipartisan support, helping Efic keep pace with Australia's changing exports; and

(3) commends the Government for issuing a new Statement of Expectations for Efic, re-enabling it to support onshore resource projects, and related infrastructure.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

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

Speech time limits—

Mr Coulton—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS

Notices — continued

5 MR ALBANESE: To move:

That this House:

(1) declares:

(a) its support for the vital work performed each and every day by the highly trained professionals providing aviation rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) services to ensure the safety of the flying public;

(b) that the ARFF service is particularly important to the safe operation of airports in regional Australia where it also responds to non-aviation emergencies within its local communities; and

(c) that the presence of the ARFF service is key to safeguarding the safety and security at major metropolitan and regional airports around the country, which is critical for international and domestic tourism; and

(2) calls on the Government to reject any proposal to increase the threshold for the provision of ARFF services at airports from the existing 350,000 passenger movements annually, noting that this would preclude the establishment of these services at Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport and lead to the removal of these services from the following regional communities: Ballina; Coffs Harbour; Ayres Rock; Gladstone; Hamilton Island; Broome; Karratha; Newman; and Port Hedland.

(Notice given 19 October 2017.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Albanese—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

6 MR VAN MANEN: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises positive effect of the Government's measures to assist more hard working Australians to:

(a) earn more through the tax system, in particular by:

(i) legislating tax cuts for middle income earners to ensure they are not pushed into the second highest tax bracket;

(ii) introducing to Parliament the Enterprise Tax Plan, which will extend small business tax concessions to businesses up to $10 million from the outdated $2 million threshold; and

(iii) supporting employers to invest more, provide more hours and increase wages through a more competitive international tax rate;

(b) save more for their retirement through increased flexibility in the superannuation system, in particular by:

(i) abolishing the so called '10 per cent rule', which prevents anyone earning more than 10 per cent of their income from salary and wages from claiming a deduction for personal superannuation contributions; and

(ii) introducing catch up concessional contributions to provide assistance to those—particularly women—who have interrupted work patterns, whether to raise children, look after elderly parents, or seek to boost their retirement savings just before retirement; and

(2) notes with deep concern that the Opposition:

(a) refuses to support tax relief for small business, while at the same time advocating tax cuts for foreign workers;

(b) seeks to abolish measures to improve the retirement savings of hard working Australians, particularly those on low incomes and with interrupted work patterns; and

(c) has no plan for jobs and growth, despite having previously advocated for a more competitive tax rate for employers.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

Time allotted—30 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr van Manen—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

7 MS CLAYDON: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15; and

(b) two thirds of women who experience violence are in paid employment;

(2) recognises that:

(a) family violence isolates and excludes its victims and disconnects people from community, work, education, friends and family;

(b) the trauma experienced by an employee facing family violence will be lessened if they have the support of an understanding and accommodating employer that offers domestic and family violence leave; and

(c) access to a leave specifically allocated for situations of domestic and family violence protects employees from discrimination and allows them to maintain stable employment which increases their likelihood of leaving violent relationships;

(3) commends the many private companies that already provide domestic and family violence leave, including Telstra, Virgin, Qantas, the National Australia Bank, to more than one million Australian workers;

(4) condemns the Government for its public service bargaining policy which has resulted in the removal of domestic and family violence leave provisions in some public service enterprise agreements; and

(5) calls on the Government to amend the National Employment Standards to include domestic and family violence leave as a universal workplace right.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Ms Claydon—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

8 MR ZIMMERMAN: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes the release on 5 October 2017 of the Consular State of Play 2016-17 (State of Play), which provides an overview of the Government's provision of consular assistance to Australians in the last financial year;

(2) acknowledges the hard work and dedication of Australian consular officials who have provided high-quality assistance to Australians in distress in 12,454 cases during 2016-17;

(3) notes with concern that a significant number of Australian travellers are travelling overseas without insurance;

(4) reiterates the Minister for Foreign Affairs' remarks in launching the State of Play that if travellers cannot afford travel insurance, they cannot afford to travel;

(5) acknowledges that the Australian Government will provide consular assistance where possible, while noting there are limits to what it can do to assist Australians in trouble overseas; and

(6) calls on Australians to:

(a) draw on resources such as Australian Government Smartraveller advice to inform themselves about their destination; and

(b) purchase insurance appropriate to their activities and circumstances.

(Notice given 17 October 2017.)

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

Speech time limits—

Mr Zimmerman—10 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 1 x 10 mins + 9 x 5 mins]

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