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

I present report No. 23 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday 30 November 2020 and the consideration of bills. 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 and the consideration of bills introduced 9 November 2020

1. The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 10 November 2020.

2. The Committee deliberated on private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 10 November 2020, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 30 November 2020, as follows:

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

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1   Mr Wilkie: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009, and for related purposes. (National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consumer Lease Reforms) Bill 2020)

  (Notice given 10 November 2020.)

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   Mr Hill: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Migration Act 1958, and for related purposes. (Migration Amendment (Common Sense Partner Visa) Bill 2020)

  (Notice given 10 November 2020.)

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.

3   Mr T. R. Wilson: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) Tuesday 1 December 2020 is World AIDS Day, an annual day to acknowledge those we have lost to AIDS related conditions and those who are living with HIV;

(b) the theme for World AIDS Day 2020 is 'Now More Than Ever';

(c) stigma associated with HIV acts as a barrier to treatment and prevention;

(d) action is needed to address rising HIV transmission among First Nations, trans and gender diverse people, and other emerging high-risk population groups;

(e) gay and bisexual men continue to bear the burden of Australia's HIV epidemic and ongoing health education and awareness among this population group is needed; and

(f) further bipartisan political action and leadership is required to meet our national target of ending HIV transmission in Australia; and

(2) recognises and acknowledges the:

(a) journey that people have made through their diagnosis, treatment and experiences of living with HIV;

(b) tremendous efforts of peer educators, healthcare professionals, researchers and scientists in developing treatment and prevention regimes that have improved the lives of people living with HIV and prevented a generalised epidemic in Australia;

(c) success of a bipartisan approach in Australia's health response; and

(d) tireless community advocates, civil society organisations and support groups that actively tackle stigma associated with HIV.

  (Notice given 10 November 2020.)

Time allotted—45 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr T. R. Wilson—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.

4   Mr Shorten: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that during the earliest onset of the coronavirus pandemic, many Australian families found themselves unexpectedly in need of government support; and

(2) pays its deepest gratitude and thanks to all the women and men of Services Australia for their efforts in supporting their fellow Australians during this time of crisis.

  (Notice given 13 May 2020.)

Time allotted—35 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Shorten—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

Orders of the day

1   Family Law Amendment (A Step Towards a Safer Family Law System) Bill 2020 (Mr Perrett): Second reading—Resumption of debate (from26October2020).

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

Speech time limits—

All Members—5 minutes. each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 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   Mr Hill: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the importance of the Auditor-General, who is responsible for auditing Commonwealth entities and reporting to the Parliament, providing crucial accountability and transparency regarding Government administration, and scrutiny of the expenditure of public monies;

(b) that as an independent officer of the Parliament with responsibilities under the Auditor-General Act 1997, the Auditor-General reports not to a minister, but directly to the Parliament via the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit;

(c) that unlike similar entities such as the Parliamentary Budget Office, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) sits within the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio, and the Prime Minister is responsible for administering the legislation and presenting budget bids for the ANAO, which is also subject to directions from the Minister for Finance as an entity under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; and

(d) the potential conflicts inherent in these arrangements, given the Auditor-General exists to scrutinise the performance and actions of the executive;

(2) declares that independent scrutiny of Government spending to get maximum value for every taxpayer dollar is more important now than ever, given:

(a) the Government is racking up one trillion dollars in debt;

(b) Australia's budget deficit is now at a record high; and

(c) Government spending has blown out to the highest percentage of gross domestic product since 1970, the earliest year that records are available in the budget papers;

(3) further notes that:

(a) the ANAO's budget has been in structural deficit for years because of this Government's cuts, recording unsustainable operating losses of $3.1 million in 2018-19 and $4.8 million in 2019-20;

(b) the Auditor-General wrote to the Prime Minister prior to the 2020-21 Budget requesting $6.3 million in new funding so he could continue to undertake his role, related to the accumulated budget pressures and COVID-19 cost pressures; and

(c) without new funding the Auditor-General is forced to reduce his program of performance audits which is projected to fall rapidly below the longstanding target of 48 performance audits per annum to around 38 per annum;

(4) condemns the Government for its ongoing efforts to hide rorts, waste and corruption from scrutiny and avoid accountability by:

(a) taking revenge on the Auditor-General and making further cuts to the ANAO's budget and staffing, with a $1.28 million cut to revenue, a reduction in resources of $14 million in 2020-21 and a reduction in the average staffing level allocation; and

(b) failing for years to introduce a National Integrity Commission; and

(5) calls on the Government to:

(a) immediately reverse its cuts to the ANAO's budget and provide the Auditor-General with the funds he has requested, by having the Minister for Finance provide an immediate advance, and making a commitment to boost funding over the forward estimates in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook;

(b) apologise for the Prime Minister's failure to protect and support the independent Auditor-General, as the Prime Minister has proven that he cannot be trusted to protect the integrity of the office;

(c) consider introducing legislation to remove the ANAO from the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio and establish the ANAO as a parliamentary department, cementing the Auditor-General as a truly independent officer of the Parliament; and

(d) stop stalling and introduce legislation to establish a National Integrity Commission.

  (Notice given 22 October 2020.)

Time allotted—30 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Hill—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.

2   Mr Simmonds: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the developments worldwide on vaccines for COVID-19;

(b) that the Government has announced a $1.7 billion agreement for two of the most promising COVID-19 vaccines, namely the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the University of Queensland/CSL vaccine;

(2) acknowledges that under the agreement, the Commonwealth has secured 84.8 million doses which will be almost entirely manufactured in Australia; and

(3) recognises that the Government is contributing significantly to COVID-19 vaccine, treatment, research and development work in Australia and around the world with an investment of $362 million.

  (Notice given 26 October 2020.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Simmonds—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   Mr Thistlethwaite: To move—

(1) notes:

(a) that 1 December 2020 is National Water Safety Day where we highlight the importance of staying safe and acting responsibly around water;

(b) that from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 some 248 people lost their lives to drowning across Australia;

(c) that Royal Lifesaving estimates in its annual drowning report that an additional 504 people experienced a non-fatal drowning incident;

(d) the drowning report indicates the total number of drowning deaths over the past year decreased by 8 per cent on the previous year;

(e) people aged 25 to 34 years accounted for 17 per cent of the total number of drowning deaths, the most of any age group; and

(f) despite still being the leading location for drowning, deaths in rivers and creeks decreased by 32 per cent, compared with the 10-year average;

(2) acknowledges:

(a) drowning and accidents in the water can be avoided if people act responsibly and follow the basic water safety rules:

(i) always swim between the red and yellow flags at the beach and obey the instructions of lifesavers;

(ii) alcohol and swimming or boating don't mix;

(iii) don't swim at unpatrolled beaches;

(iv) don't swim alone; and

(v) never take your eye off children around water; and

(b) that too many avoidable drownings occur when rock fishing and rock fishers should:

(i) stay alert to the weather conditions;

(ii) learn how to swim;

(iii) choose the safest possible location;

(iv) wear the right gear;

(v) never fish alone; and

(vi) always wear a lifejacket; and

(3) encourages:

(a) all Australians to learn how to swim from a qualified instructor before they enter the water on their own; and

(b) people who use our waterways regularly to take the opportunity to learn rescue techniques and resuscitation from organisations like Surf Life Saving Australia by joining your local surf club.

  (Notice given 9 November 2020.)

Time allotted—30 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Thistlethwaite—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.

4   Mr Leeser: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held across Australia from 8 to 15 November 2020 to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

(b) NAIDOC Week is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life—the week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community; and

(c) the Government is supporting NAIDOC Week through a local grants round, with $1.4 million available to support local communities to host events and other activities during the week; and

(2) commends the work of the Indigenous organisations in postponing NAIDOC Week events and organising COVID-safe functions.

  (Notice given 26 October 2020.)

Time allotted—30 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Leeser—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.

5   Mr Giles: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) it has been seven years since New Zealand offered hope to those refugees in Papua New Guinea and Nauru to resettle them in New Zealand; and

(b) more than 65,000 Australians have signed a petition organised by Amnesty International Australia with Craig Foster and Sonny Bill Williams urging the Government to accept the New Zealand Government's generous offer to resettle those refugees; and

(2) calls on the Government to accept the New Zealand offer to resettle refugees.

  (Notice given 10 November 2020.)

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

Speech time limits—

Mr Giles—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 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

6   Ms T. M. Butler: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the koala is an iconic Australian species;

(b) the Queensland, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory koala populations have been listed as vulnerable under national environment law;

(c) vast numbers of koalas were killed in last summer's national bushfire crisis, including an estimated third of the New South Wales population;

(d) in the wake of the fires the koala is being considered for up-listing (an increased threatened listing status);

(e) habitat loss is among the most significant threats to koalas;

(f) the Government is years overdue in making a Threatened Species Recovery Plan for the koala, which was initially due by 2015; and

(g) the National Koala Conservation Strategy ran until 2014 and has yet to be replaced by this Government; and

(2) therefore calls on the Government to prevent further habitat loss through yet-to-commence development in areas in which the koala is listed as vulnerable, pending the completion of the formal assessment for up listing, the making of a Threatened Species Recovery Plan, and the making of a new National Koala Conservation Strategy.

  (Notice given 9 November 2020.)

Time allotted—35 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Ms T. M. Butler—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

7   Mr Young: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the enormous success the scouting and guiding movement has had around the world in promoting personal development programs for children and young adults from 5 to 25 years old; and

(b) that the world scouting movement was founded by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907;

(2) recognises that scouting is one of the most popular programs worldwide for personal development with over 500 million people going through the scouts and guides;

(3) further notes that in 2007 the scouting movement celebrated its 100th anniversary since its founding; and

(4) congratulates Scouts Australia, Girl Guides Australia and the World Organization of the Scout Movement for continuing to provide an outlet for children to channel their desire for adventure, education and fun, and for providing ongoing assistance around our communities.

  (Notice given 21 October 2020.)

Time allotted—50 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Mr Young—5 minutes.

Other Members—5 minutes. each.

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

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

8   Dr Haines: To move:

That this House:

(1) agrees that effective politics requires constructive debate and consensus building on policy challenges and roadblocks that, if left unresolved, undermine the national interest;

(2) commends the Menzies-Calwell club for facilitating consensus-driven, cross-parliamentary policy discussions that do not regress into ineffectual, politically polarised rhetoric;

(3) reaffirms that establishing a robust federal integrity commission during this parliament well before the next election is essential to arresting the declining public trust in institutions and restoring Australians' faith in the democratic system;

(4) notes that, according to the Beechworth Principles and the motion agreed to by the Senate on 9 November 2020, a federal integrity commission must have:

(a) broad jurisdiction to investigate corrupt conduct within the public sector;

(b) common rules for all public officials;

(c) strong investigative powers and procedural fairness safeguards;

(d) an ability to hold public hearings when in the public interest;

(e) direct avenues for public referrals and an ability to commence investigations independently based on those referrals;

(f) strong whistleblower protections;

(g) adequate and secure funding to be able to fulfil its purpose; and

(h) oversight by a multi-party parliamentary committee, including of the appointment of commissioners, and an independent parliamentary inspector to ensure accountability to the people; and

(5) encourages Members of Parliament to debate the Australian Federal Integrity Commission Bill 2020 and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Standards Bill 2020 as a robust consensus package that all parliamentarians can engage with, in good faith, as a non-aligned private member's bill that answers the strong call from the Australian public for a robust federal integrity commission.

  (Notice given 10 November 2020.)

Time allotted—30 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Dr Haines—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.

9   Dr Webster: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that metropolitan and regional Victorians continue to face significant limitations to their freedoms due to COVID-19 restrictions;

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the epidemiological data in Victoria is now at a point where many health experts consider it safe to reopen in a COVID-safe manner; and

(b) the initial lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were intended to build capacity in the health system, and the Victorian health system has done this;

(3) commiserates with business owners that have been forced to shut their doors;

(4) notes that many businesses will not survive continued lockdowns;

(5) calls on the Victorian Government to give Victorians their freedom back;

(6) further recognises the undue pain and distress facing regional communities around the nation due to ongoing state border restrictions;

(7) further acknowledges that:

(a) border communities are unique in their interdependency; and

(b) regional and border communities are experiencing some of the most severe disruptions in the country, with impacts on healthcare, education, access to supplies, and the agriculture workforce;

(8) further notes that seven out of eight states, through the National Cabinet, have agreed to seek a sustainable model for border restrictions by December 2020;

(9) calls on state governments to open their borders to allow for the free movement of Australians; and

(10) acknowledges that the continued lockdowns and border restrictions will continue to cause significant mental health, wellbeing, and economic issues, particularly in Victoria, but also in other affected parts of the nation.

  (Notice given 26 October 2020.)

Time allotted—40 minutes.

Speech time limits—

Dr Webster—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.

10   Mr Perrett: To move:

That this House:

(1) recognises that:

(a) prior to the passage of the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 the houses of the Australian Parliament had the power to expel a senator, or member of the House of Representatives;

(b) the expulsion of a member of this House is the most drastic of sanctions;

(c) on 11 November 1920, the Honourable Member for Kalgoorlie, Hugh Mahon, was expelled from this House; and

(d) that the Honourable Member for Kalgoorlie is the only member to have ever been expelled from this House;

(2) acknowledges that the Honourable Member for Kalgoorlie, Hugh Mahon, was expelled:

(a) by a motion brought on hastily and with limited time for debate;

(b) by a vote of the House on party lines; and

(c) without the due process and procedural fairness that such an important issue deserves; and

(3) further recognises that:

(a) it was unjust on the limited evidence for the institution to which Hugh Mahon had been democratically elected to reverse the decision of his constituents;

(b) the expulsion of the Honourable Member for Kalgoorlie, Hugh Mahon, was therefore a misuse of the power then invested in the House; and

(c) for a century the Mahon family has endured this injustice and it is time that the Parliament revisit the matter of the Honourable Member for Kalgoorlie, Hugh Mahon's, expulsion.

  (Notice given 26 October 2020.)

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

Speech time limits—

Mr Perrett—5 minutes.

Next Member speaking—5 minutes.

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

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

3. The committee determined that the following referral of bills to a committee be made—

Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy:

THE HON A. D. H. SMITH MP

Speaker of the House of Representatives

11 November 2020