Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Amendment Bill 2006, and theParliamentary Superannuation Amendment Bill 2006.

I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

LONG SERVICE LEAVE (COMMON-WEALTH EMPLOYEES) LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL

Purpose of the bill

The bill provides employees entitled to long service leave provisions as set out in the Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1976 with a suitable transitional period of coverage following privatisation.

Reasons for Urgency

To ensure that the entitlements of employees are maintained, the bill must pass before the sale of Telstra which is planned for October/November 2006.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations)

Parliamentary Superannuation Amendment Bill 2006

Purpose of the bill

The proposed Bill will amend the Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) to vary the rate of superannuation contributions payable for Senators and Members covered by that Act, that is, persons who joined the Parliament, or returned to Parliament after a break, from the 2004 general election.

Reasons for Urgency

The Prime Minister announced on 7 September 2006 that the Government intended to introduce legislation to adjust the level of superannuation for Parliamentarians elected at the 2004 Federal election and subsequently so that it is the same as that paid to Commonwealth public servants, that is, 15.4 per cent.

Early passage of the Parliamentary Superannuation Amendment Bill 2006 is highly desirable so that parliamentarians’ superannuation contributions can be increased to the level of contributions paid for public servants as soon as possible.

(Circulated by authority of the Special Minister of State, the Hon Gary Nairn MP)

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that 5 years ago on 19 October an unnamed boat, now referred to as SIEV X, carrying approximately 421 asylum seekers sank in international waters, with 353 people drowning, including 146 children, 142 women and 65 men; and

(b)

remembers these victims and expresses its condolences to the families involved.