Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I present the government’s response to the President’s report of 7 December 2006 on outstanding government responses to parliamentary committee reports, and seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

RESPONSE TO THE SCHEDULE TABLED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE ON 7 DECEMBER 2006

Circulated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate

Senator the Hon Nick Minchin

June 2007

A CERTAIN MARITIME INCIDENT (Select)

A Certain Maritime Incident

The government response may be considered in due course.

ADMINISTRATION OF INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS (Select)

After ATSIC—Life in the mainstream?

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

ASIO, ASIS AND DSD (Joint, Statutory)

Review of the listing of six terrorist organisations

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of the listing of four terrorist organisations

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION (Joint, Statutory)

Supplementary report to the inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Examination of the annual report for 2004-2005 of the Australian Crime Commission

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS LEGISLATION

Tobacco advertising prohibition

The Department of Health and Ageing is finalising a formal response to the issues raised in the report. The response will be tabled once the Department has received responses from other Government agencies included in the report.

Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial responsibility for approval of RU486) Bill 2005

Input across agencies is being updated for inclusion in the response.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS REFERENCES

Quality and equity in aged care

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Workplace exposure to toxic dust

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Beyond petrol sniffing: renewing hope for Indigenous communities

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS STANDING

Breaking the silence: a national voice for gynaecological cancers

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 27 February 2007.

CORPORATIONS AND SECURITIES (Joint Statutory)

Report on aspects of the regulation of proprietary companies

The government is currently consulting on a substantial number of initiatives to simplify corporate regulation. It is expected that some of these initiatives will impact on the regulation of proprietary companies. A response to the report will therefore be provided in due course.

CORPORATIONS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES (Joint Statutory)

Report on the regulations and ASIC policy statements made under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001

The government is currently reviewing and consulting on a substantial number of initiatives to refine the regulation of financial services which take into account the recommendations made in this report. A response which takes into account the refinements will therefore be provided in due course.

Review of the Managed Investments Act 1998

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Inquiry into Regulation 7.1.29 in Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (No. 3), Statutory Rules 2003 No. 85

The government is currently reviewing and consulting on a substantial number of initiatives to refine the regulation of financial services which take into account the recommendations made in this report. A response which takes into account the refinements will therefore be provided in due course.

Money matters in the bush: Inquiry into the level of banking and financial services in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia

The response is being updated to reflect recent developments and will be tabled in due course.

Report on the ATM fee structure

The response is being updated to reflect recent developments and will be tabled in conjunction with that for ‘Money Matters in the Bush’ (see above).

Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (Batch 6); Draft Regulations: Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003/04 (Batch 7); and Draft Regulations: Corporations amendment Regulations 2004 (Batch 8)

The government is currently reviewing and consulting on a substantial number of initiatives to refine the regulation of financial services which take into account the recommendations made in this report. A response which takes into account the refinements will therefore be provided in due course.

Corporations Amendment Regulations 7.1.29A, 7.1.35A and 7.1.40(h)

The government continues to respond to this report through changes to the Corporations Regulations and ongoing proposals to make further refinements to the regulation of financial services based on public comment. A response to this report will be tabled in due course.

Property investment—Safe as houses?

A response is being prepared. However, before finalising this response, the Government considers it is important to incorporate any findings of the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs working party that is examining whether property investment advice warrants further regulation. The working party is currently finalising its position.

Timeshare: The price of leisure

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, December 2005

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Corporate responsibility: Managing risk and creating value

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, August 2006

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

ECONOMICS LEGISLATION

Report on annual reports (No. 1 of 2006)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Provisions of the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2006

The recommendations were dealt with during the debate of the bill. No further response is required.

ECONOMICS REFERENCES

Report on the operation of the Australian Taxation Office

Many recommendations have been implemented and several overtaken by legislative changes and administrative action taken by the Commissioner of Taxation. No further response is required.

Consenting adults deficits and household debt—Link between Australia’s current account deficit, the demand for imported goods and household debt

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

ECONOMICS STANDING

Petrol prices in Australia

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 21 June 2007.

ELECTORAL MATTERS (Joint Standing)

Funding and disclosure: Inquiry into disclosure of donations to political parties and candidates

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

EMPLOYMENT, WORKPLACE RELATIONS AND EDUCATION REFERENCES

Bridging the skills divide

The Australian government response is being updated to reflect ongoing vocational and technical education reforms and is expected to be tabled in due course.

Indigenous education funding—Interim report and Final report

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Student income support

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Workplace agreements

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

EMPLOYMENT, WORKPLACE RELATIONS AND EDUCATION STANDING

Perspectives on the future of the harvest labour force

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 21 June 2007.

ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS REFERENCES

The value of water: Inquiry into Australia’s urban water management

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 10 May 2007.

Regulating the Range, Jabiluka, Beverley and Honeymoon uranium mines

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Turning back the tide—the invasive species challenge: Report on the regulation, control and management of invasive species and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Invasive Species) Bill 2002

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Lurching forward, looking back: Budgetary and environmental implications of the Government’s Energy White Paper

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

The performance of the Australian telecommunications regulatory regime

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Living with a salinity—a report on progress: The extent and economic impact of salinity in Australia

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

About time! Women in sport and recreation in Australia

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFERENCES

Staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Matter relating to the Gallipoli Peninsula

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Government advertising and accountability

The government response is under consideration and will be tabled in due course.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE (Joint, Standing)

Australia’s free trade agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the United States: progress to date and lessons for the future

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 29 March 2007.

Australia’s defence relations with the United States

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 1 March 2007.

Expanding Australia’s trade and investment relations with North Africa

The government response was tabled in the House of Representatives on 31 May 2007 and tabled in the Senate on 14 June 2007.

Australia’s relationship with the Republic of Korea; and developments on the Korean peninsula

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 29 March 2007.

Australia’s response to the Indian Ocean tsunami

A government response is not required by the Committee.

Review of the Defence annual report 2004-05

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 21 June 2007.

Review of Australia-New Zealand trade and investment relations

The government response was tabled in the House of Representatives on 24 May 2007 and in the Senate on 14 June 2007.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE LEGISLATION

Reforms to Australia’s military justice systems—First progress report

A government response is not required by the Committee.

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment Bill 2006

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE REFERENCES

Mr Chen Yonglin’s request for political asylum

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 14 June 2007.

The removal, search for and discovery of Ms Vivian Solon—Final report

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE STANDING

Blue water ships: consolidating past achievements

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES (Select)

In the public interest: Monitoring Australia’s media

The government does not propose to respond to this report. The recommendations of this report which was in 2000 have been overtaken by subsequent developments. In particular the provisions relating to personal privacy have been strengthened in the co-regulatory codes of practice for all media sectors, with each having a comprehensive complaints framework in place. In relation to enforcement, the passage of the government’s media reform package in 2006 included a range of new powers which have strengthened the broadcasting regulator’s capacity to effectively regulate the broadcasting industry and to ensure that industry sectors and individual organisations respond appropriately to complaints. The government also intends to introduce legislation in 2007 that will extend the regulatory regime governing content to new and emerging services and devices such as 3G mobile phones and on subscription-based internet portals.

INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY (Joint, Statutory)

Review of administration and expenditure: Australian Intelligence Organisations Number 4—Recruitment and Training

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of the relisting of Al-Qa’ida and Jemaah Islamiyah as terrorist organisations

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of security and counter terrorism legislation

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING

Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Bill 2005 [Provisions], Corporations Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations) Bill 2006 [Provisions] and Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Consequential, Transitional and Other Measures Bill 2006 [Provisions]

The recommendations were dealt with during the debate of the package of bills. No further response is required.

Unfinished business: Indigenous stolen wages

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL LEGISLATION

Provisions of the Telecommunications (Interception) Amendment Bill 2006

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 10 May 2007.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENCES

Reconciliation: Off track

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

The road to a republic

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Administration and operation of the Migration Act 1958

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 14 June 2007.

MEDICARE (Senate Select)

Medicare—healthcare or welfare? and Second report: Medicare Plus: the future for Medicare?

The large number of measures contained in the Strengthening Medicare, 100% Medicare and Round the Clock Medicare packages have addressed most of the issues examined by the Senate Select Committee on Medicare. A combined response to both of these reports, taking into account initiatives announced as part of the Budget, is currently being finalised.

MENTAL HEALTH (Select)

A national approach to mental health—from crisis to community—Final report

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

MIGRATION (Joint, Standing)

Detention centre contracts: Review of Audit report No. 1 2005-06—Management of the detention centre contracts – Part B

The government response was tabled in the House of Representatives on 24 May 2007 and in the Senate on 14 June 2007.

Negotiating the maze—Review of arrangements for overseas skills recognition, upgrading and licensing

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

MINISTERIAL DISCRETION IN MIGRATION MATTERS (Senate Select)

Report

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

NATIONAL CAPITAL AND EXTERNAL TERRITORIES (Joint, Standing)

Norfolk Island electoral matters

A decision on Norfolk Island governance was made in 2006. A response to the report’s recommendations are being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Antarctica: Australia’s pristine frontier—Report on the adequacy of funding for Australia’s Antarctic Program

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 1 March 2007.

Norfolk Island financial sustainability: The challenge—sink or swim?

A decision on Norfolk Island governance was made in 2006. A response to the report’s recommendations are being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Current and future governance arrangements for the Indian Ocean territories

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 14 June 2007.

NATIVE TITLE AND THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LAND FUND (Joint Statutory)

Report on the operation of Native Title Representatives Bodies

The government response was tabled in the House of Representatives on 15 February 2007 and in the Senate on 1 March 2007.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT (Joint Statutory)

Government business enterprises, December 1999 (Report No. 372)

The government response was presented out of sitting to the Senate on 12 April 2007 and tabled in the Senate on 9 May 2007 and the House of Representatives on 10 May 2007.

Developments in aviation security since the Committee’s June 2004 Report 400: Review of aviation security in Australia—An interim report (Report No. 406)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of Auditor-General’s reports tabled between 18 January and 18 April 2005 (Report No. 407)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Developments in aviation security since the Committee’s June 2004 Report 400: Review of aviation security in Australia (Report No. 409)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

PUBLICATIONS (Joint)

Distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series

The government’s response to Recommendation No. 18 was tabled in the House of Representatives on 24 May 2007 and tabled in the Senate on 14 June 2007. No further response is required.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT LEGISLATION

An appropriate level of protection? The importation of salmon products: A case study of the administration of Australian quarantine and the impact of international trade arrangements

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Biosecurity Australia’s import risk analysis for pig meat

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Administration of Biosecurity Australia—Revised draft import risk analysis for bananas from the Philippines

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Administration of Biosecurity Australia—Revised draft import risk analysis for apples from New Zealand

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

The administration by the Department of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of the citrus canker outbreak

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT REFERENCES

Rural water use

The government response was presented out of sitting to the Senate on 23 January 2007 and tabled in the Senate on 6 February 2007.

Australian forest plantations: A review of Plantations for Australia: The 2020 vision

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Iraqi wheat debt—repayments for wheat growers

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT STANDING

Water policy initiatives—Final report

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

SCRUTINY OF BILLS (Senate Standing)

Third report of 2004: The quality of explanatory memoranda accompanying bills

The government response was tabled in the Senate on 29 March 2007.

Twelfth report of 2006: Entry, search and seizure provisions in Commonwealth legislation

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

TREATIES (Joint, Standing)

Treaties tabled on 7 December 2004 (4), 15 March and 11 May 2005 (66th report)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.

Review of treaties tabled on 28 March (4) and 5 September (2) 2006 (80th Report)

The government response was tabled in both the House of Representatives and the Senate on 22 March 2007.

Treaties tabled on 8 August 2006 (2) (81st Report)

The government response is being considered and will be tabled in due course.