Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present report No. 32 of the Selection Committee relating to consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday 18 November 2024. 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, 5 November 2024.

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, 5 November 2024, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 18 November 2024, as follows:

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

COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS

Presentation and statements

1 Standing Committee on Procedure

Maintenance of the standing and sessional orders

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

Speech time limits

Mr Neumann 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

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

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 DR M RYAN: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, and for related purposes. (Abolition of Special Prospecting Authorities (Ocean Protection) Bill 2024)

(Notice given 10 October 2024.)

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 BIRRELL: To present a Bill for an Act to support rehabilitation of the environment affected by electricity projects, and for related purposes. (Requiring Energy Infrastructure Providers to Obtain Rehabilitation Bonds Bill 2024)

(Notice given 10 October 2024.)

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 WILKIE: To present a Bill for an Act to regulate suspicious gambling activities, and for related purposes. (Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Amendment (Making Gambling Businesses Accountable) Bill 2024)

(Notice given 4 November 2024.)

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.

4 DR M RYAN: To present a Bill for an Act to establish a scheme to promote and enhance transparency, integrity and honesty in dealings between lobbyists and Government representatives, and for related purposes. (Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2024)

(Notice given 4 November 2024.)

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.

5 DR HAINES: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Housing Australia Act 2018 and Housing Australia Future Fund Act 2023, and for related purposes. (Housing Legislation Amendment (Fair Share for Regional Housing) Bill 2024)

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

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.

6 DR SCAMPS: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, and for related purposes. (Broadcasting Services Amendment (Healthy Kids Advertising) Bill 2024)

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

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.

7 MR GOSLING: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that 2024 marks 40 years since the introduction of Medicare;

(2) acknowledges this was one of the most transformative moments in Australian history and meant access to health care became a right that all Australians could share, regardless of their income or background;

(3) further notes that to mark this historic occasion and anniversary, the Government has launched the Stronger Medicare Awards in recognition of primary healthcare professionals from all corners of the country who have gone above and beyond to improve the lives of all Australians;

(4) congratulates the finalists and winners of the Stronger Medicare Awards;

(5) extends its gratitude to every general practitioner (GP), nurse, midwife, pharmacist and allied health professional working in primary care, for the work they do to keep our communities healthy;

(6) recommits to the fundamental belief that it is your Medicare card, not your credit card, which should guarantee access to quality health care; and

(7) further acknowledges that:

(a) as the Minister for Health, the current Leader of the Opposition:

(i) tried to introduce a tax on visits to GPs;

(ii) froze Medicare rebates;

(iii) cut $50 billion from our hospitals;

(iv) said there were 'too many free Medicare services'; and

(v) was voted by Australia's doctors as the worst health minister in the history of Medicare; and

(b) only the Government can be trusted to keep Medicare strong as we build Australia's future.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

Time allotted 20 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Gosling 5 minutes.

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 at a later hour.

8 MR VAN MANEN: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Government has failed to tame inflation;

(b) because of its undisciplined and unnecessary spending, inflation has remained higher for longer;

(c) interest rates have already gone down in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and in New Zealand but are still high here; and

(d) the Prime Minister said life would be 'cheaper' under his Government, and promised 'cheaper mortgages' but has instead delivered a household recession; and

(2) acknowledges that only the Opposition has a plan to get Australia back on track.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

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

Speech time limits

Mr van Manen 5 minutes.

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.

Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices

1 MR BATES: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) bulk-billing options are plummeting across the country and millions of people are delaying healthcare due to cost concerns;

(b) the cost of living crisis is both making mental health worse and causing an increasing number of people across Australia to delay or miss out on essential mental health care;

(c) over 60 per cent of Australians have delayed dental care in the last year, and the most common reason for doing so was cost; and

(d) everyone deserves to have access to good quality healthcare, including dental and mental health care, regardless of where you live, how old you are, or your bank balance; and

(2) calls on the Government to commit to universal healthcare and make the big corporations pay their fair share of tax so as to fund:

(a) bringing dental health into Medicare and expanding access to dental care to all;

(b) unlimited mental health care under Medicare; and

(c) a tripling of the bulk-billing incentive and the establishment of at least six free local healthcare clinics in each electorate to enable all Australians to go to the GP for free.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

Time allotted 20 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Bates 5 minutes.

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.

2 MR BURNS: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to making Australia's student loan system better and fairer by:

(a) cutting 20 per cent off all student loan debts, wiping around $16 billion in student debts for around three million Australians;

(b) raising the threshold people can earn before they start having to pay off their loans;

(c) changing the way these mandatory repayments are calculated through a marginal repayment system; and

(d) building on reforms to fix the indexation formula, which is cutting around $3 billion in student debt;

(2) recognises that all up, the Government will cut close to $20 billion in student loan debt for more than three million Australians; and

(3) notes that these commitments are all part of the Government's plans to create a better and fairer education system for all Australians.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

Time allotted 30 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Burns 5 minutes.

Other 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.

3 MR FLETCHER: To move:

That:

(1) a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on PsiQuantum Funding, be appointed to inquire into and report on the process undertaken by the Australian Government to provide $470 million to American-based company PsiQuantum Pty Ltd;

(2) the committee is to inquire into the following matters:

(a) the process by which the Australian Government selected PsiQuantum Pty Ltd for investment;

(b) the expression of interest process;

(c) the financial implications of the investment;

(d) the commercial and scientific terms of the investment;

(e) whether actual or potential conflicts of interest have been appropriately managed;

(f) the nature and extent of interactions between PsiQuantum or its external advisers and the Minister for Industry and Science, the Minister's personal staff and officials of the Australian Public Service; and

(g) any other matters necessary or incidental to the committee forming a view as to whether the investment in PsiQuantum is a proper expenditure of public money;

(3) the Minister for Industry and Science be called by the committee to appear as a witness to assist the committee in its deliberations;

(4) the committee consist of seven members, three Members to be nominated by the Chief Government Whip and four Members to be nominated by the Chief Opposition Whip of whom at least two must be a crossbench Member;

(5) every nomination of a member be notified in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(6) the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy;

(7) the members of the committee hold office as a select committee until presentation of the committee's final report or until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time, whichever is the earlier;

(8) the committee present its final report no later than 1 March 2025;

(9) the committee elect an Opposition member as its chair;

(10) the committee elect a Government member as its deputy chair to act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(11) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee, the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(13) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee;

(14) the committee have power to appoint subcommittees, consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine;

(15) the committee appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a casting vote only;

(16) two members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee;

(17) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(18) the committee or any subcommittee has power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the House of Representatives; and

(19) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.

(Notice given 10 September 2024.)

Time allotted 30 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Fletcher 5 minutes.

Other 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.

Orders of the day

MEDICARE: Resumption of debate on the motion of Mr Gosling—That this House:

(1) notes that 2024 marks 40 years since the introduction of Medicare;

(2) acknowledges this was one of the most transformative moments in Australian history and meant access to health care became a right that all Australians could share, regardless of their income or background;

(3) further notes that to mark this historic occasion and anniversary, the Government has launched the Stronger Medicare Awards in recognition of primary healthcare professionals from all corners of the country who have gone above and beyond to improve the lives of all Australians;

(4) congratulates the finalists and winners of the Stronger Medicare Awards;

(5) extends its gratitude to every general practitioner (GP), nurse, midwife, pharmacist and allied health professional working in primary care, for the work they do to keep our communities healthy;

(6) recommits to the fundamental belief that it is your Medicare card, not your credit card, which should guarantee access to quality health care; and

(7) further acknowledges that:

(a) as the Minister for Health, the current Leader of the Opposition:

(i) tried to introduce a tax on visits to GPs;

(ii) froze Medicare rebates;

(iii) cut $50 billion from our hospitals;

(iv) said there were 'too many free Medicare services'; and

(v) was voted by Australia's doctors as the worst health minister in the history of Medicare; and

(b) only the Government can be trusted to keep Medicare strong as we build Australia's future.

Time allotted 30 minutes.

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.

Notices — continued

4 MR TEHAN: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the:

(a) deterioration of country roads due to the reduction in funding for maintenance has created millions of potholes leading to accidents and serious damage to vehicles;

(b) Government has been cutting and delaying road projects since it was elected;

(c) Victorian State Government has drastically reduced funding for maintenance of the state road network;

(d) reduction in funding for maintenance has led to an increase in Victorian motorists having tyres shredded, wheels misaligned, and accidents including fatal accidents over the past two years; and

(e) state of the road network in regional Victoria has led to an increase in serious accidents and an increase in fatal accidents; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) undertake an audit on the condition of Victoria's local and state road network and make that information public;

(b) double the amount of funding available to repair Victoria's road network over the next four years; and

(c) abandon support for the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) and invest the $2.2 billion of funding allocated to the SRL in Victorian country roads.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

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

Speech time limits

Mr Tehan 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.

Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Notices — continued

5 MR KATTER: To move:

That this House:

(1) calls on the Government to urgently amend the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool to ensure that all Australian insurers provide residents in cyclone-prone areas with options for house insurance premiums that are comparable to those paid by the rest of the country;

(2) notes that:

(a) with the exception of Sure and Allianz, insurance premiums in Northern Australia are significantly higher than the national average, placing an unfair lack of choice and financial burden on northern Australian homeowners;

(b) the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool has failed and needs further and urgent negotiation; and

(c) 25 per cent of North Queensland is currently not insured; and

(3) calls on the Government to:

(a) fix the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool before another disaster strikes in the north; and

(b) ensure that:

(i) all insurers offer affordable and fair insurance coverage charges in line with the rest of Australia; and

(ii) specific insurers are not over-exposed.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

Time allotted 15 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Katter 5 minutes.

Other Members 5 minutes each.

[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 3 x 5 mins]

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

6 MS CLAYDON: To move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges and celebrates the exceptional achievements of Australia's Skillaroos who represented our nation at the 2024 WorldSkills competition in Lyon;

(2) recognises the dedication, skill, and passion of our Skillaroos exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in vocational education and training and demonstrates the incredible talent within our skilled workforce;

(3) commends the Government for its commitment to getting the best outcomes for Australians through improving access to vocational education and training, supporting quality training and putting TAFE back at the heart of the sector; and

(4) supports the Government as it continues to invest in the Australian people by prioritising training initiatives like Fee-Free TAFE.

(Notice given 4 November 2024.)

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 matter should continue on a future day.

7 MR FLETCHER: To move:

That this House notes that:

(1) according to Services Australia's 2023-24 annual report:

(a) customer satisfaction was 79.1 out of 100, against a target of 85;

(b) only 55.2 per cent of customers were served within 15 minutes, against a target of 70 per cent;

(c) the percentage of work processed within timeliness standards was 71.8 per cent, against a target of 90 per cent; and

(d) only 58.5 per cent of Centrelink claims were processed within their respective timeliness standards;

(2) under the watch of the Minister for Government Services, Australia has recorded its worst result for digital government in over a decade, according to the latest E-Government Development Index; and

(3) the previous Government was doing a much better job of delivering a better customer service experience, with the 2023 OECD Digital Government Index, based on data for the period from January 2020 and October 2022, placing Australia in the top five best performing countries.

(Notice given 5 November 2024.)

Time allotted 40 minutes.

Speech time limits

Mr Fletcher 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.

Orders of the day — continued

1 SUPERMARKET SECTOR: Resumption of debate (from 4 November 2024) on the motion of Mr Rae—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government is taking decisive action to help consumers get fairer prices at supermarkets, in stores and online, including:

(a) the release of an interim report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which looks at a wide range of concerns, from land banking to shrinkflation;

(b) making suppliers follow the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, a mandatory code, following the recommendations of former competition minister Craig Emerson; and

(c) revitalising the National Competition Policy to boost productivity and living standards;

(2) notes the Government believes that alleged misconduct in the supermarket sector is unfair, unacceptable, and it makes cost of living pressures worse for Australians, so it is:

(a) providing a $30 million package of additional funding for the ACCC to crack down on misleading pricing practices and poor conduct; and

(b) funding CHOICE, the consumer organisation, over three years to report on supermarket prices across Australia; and

(3) recognises the Government's number one priority is tackling the cost of living pressures facing hard working Australians and making sure they are paying a fair price at the checkout, and Australian farmers are getting a fair price for their goods.

Time allotted 30 minutes.

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.

Notices — continued

8 DR WEBSTER: To move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) rural and remote Australians bear a heavier burden of disease than Australians who live in major metropolitan areas;

(b) the rural, remote and regional health workforce persistently suffers more significant staffing shortages than its metropolitan counterparts;

(c) the former Government established the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner in 2017;

(d) the inaugural commissioner, Professor Paul Worley, said in 2018 that he had heard the urgency of calls for a National Rural Generalist Pathway for the medical practitioner workforce, and recommended later that year the national recognition, as a protected title, of a Rural Generalist as a Specialised Field within the Speciality of General Practice, which is now federally funded and accredited by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine;

(e) the National Rural Health Commissioner has established the National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework 2023-27, after consultation commenced by the former Government in early 2022; and

(f) Queensland Health began developing a rural generalist pathway for allied health professions in 2013 which Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health successfully developed further in some jurisdictions but a pathway is not yet available in Victoria for instance; and

(2) calls upon the Minister for Health and Aged Care to advance rural generalist pathways in medicine, nursing and allied health, to address dire workforce shortages in rural, remote and regional Australia.

(Notice given 4 November 2024.)

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

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 matter should continue on a future day.

THE HON D. M. DICK MP

Speaker of the House of Representatives

6 November 2024