Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I present the second report of 2008 of the Selection of Bills Committee.

Ordered that the report be adopted.

I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE REPORT No. 2 OF 2008

(1)

The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 11 March 2008 at 4.28 pm.

(2)

The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a)

the provisions of the Tax Laws Amendment (Personal Income Tax Reduction) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 1 May 2008;

(b)

the Poker Machine Harm Reduction Tax (Administration) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 25 June 2008 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c)

the Renewable Energy Legislation Amendment (Renewable Power Percentage) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 30 May 2008 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d)

the Rights of the Terminally Ill (Euthanasia Laws Repeal) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 1 May 2008 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e)

the Stolen Generation Compensation Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 16 June 2008 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(f)

the National Market Driven Energy Efficiency Target Bill 2007 [2008] be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 30 May 2008 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral).

(3)

The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:

• Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Assessments and Advertising) Bill 2008
• Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Amendment Bill 2008
• Cross-Border Insolvency Bill 2008
• Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2008
• Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• Financial Sector Legislation Amendment (Review of Prudential Decisions) Bill 2008
• Higher Education Support Amendment (Removal of the Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements and National Governance Protocols Requirements and Other Matters) Bill 2008
• Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Assistance) Bill 2008
• Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008
• Infrastructure Australia Bill 2008
• Lands Acquisition Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• Marriage (Relationships Equality) Amendment Bill 2008
• National Film and Sound Archive Bill 2008
• Offshore Petroleum Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2008
• Screen Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2008
• Screen Australia Bill 2008
• Social Security and Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Allowances) Bill 2008
• Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Poisons Standard) Bill 2008
• Trade Practices Amendment (Access Declarations) Bill 2008
• Tradex Scheme Amendment Bill 2008.

The committee recommends accordingly.

(4)

The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Fair Bank and Credit Card Fees) Amendment Bill 2008
• Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill 2006 [2008]
• Constitution Alteration (Appropriations for the Ordinary Annual Services of the Government) 2001 [2008]
• Constitution Alteration (Electors’ Initiative, Fixed Term Parliaments and Qualification of Members) 2000 [2008]
• Electoral (Greater Fairness of Electoral Processes) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]
• Electoral Amendment (Political Honesty) Bill 2003 [2008]
• Euthanasia Laws (Repeal) Bill 2004 [2008]
• Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Emergency Response Consolidation) Bill 2008
• Genetic Privacy and Non-discrimination Bill 1998 [2008]
• Horse Disease Response Levy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008
• Horse Disease Response Levy Bill 2008
• Horse Disease Response Levy Collection Bill 2008
• Ministers of State (Post-Retirement Employment Restrictions) Bill 2002 [2008]
• Parliamentary Charter of Rights and Freedoms Bill 2001 [2008]
• Patents Amendment Bill 1996 [2008]
• Peace and Non-Violence Commission Bill 2007 [2008]
• Privacy (Data Security Breach Notification) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]
• Privacy (Extension to Political Acts and Practices) Amendment Bill 2006 [2008]
• Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising Bill 2006 [2008]
• Public Interest Disclosures Bill 2007 [2008]
• Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]
• Repatriation of Citizens Bill 2007 [2008]
• Republic (Consultation of the People) Bill 2001 [2008]
• Same-Sex Marriages Bill 2006 [2008]
• Same-Sex: Same Entitlements Bill 2007 [2008]
• Skills Australia Bill 2008
• State Elections (One Vote, One Value) Bill 2001 [2008]
• Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008
• Taxation Laws Amendment (Scholarships) Bill 2005 [2008]
• Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2008
• Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Communications Fund) Bill 2008
• Textbook Subsidy Bill 2003 [2008]
• Trade Practices (Creeping Acquisitions) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]
• Uranium Mining in or near Australian World Heritage Properties (Prohibition) Bill 1998 [2008]
• Workplace Relations (Guaranteeing Paid Maternity Leave) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008].

(Kerry O’Brien)

Chair

12 March 2008

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Poker Machine Harm Reduction Tax (Administration) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

Poker machines are a major community concern in Australia today. Family First’s Poker Machine Harm Reduction Tax (Administration) Bill 2008 would introduce a new federal tax on poker machines in pubs and clubs to push pokies out of these community venues and restrict them to casinos and racetracks, which are dedicated gambling venues.

Poker machines are no good for families:

• About 293,000 people have a significant gambling problem in Australia and about 85% of problem gamblers use poker machines;
• About 52% of problem gamblers said they had borrowed money and not paid it back, 36% said they had sold property to raise money to bet and 43% said they sometimes went without food to pay for their addiction. One in four suffered divorce or separation and one in 10 had seriously contemplated suicide;
• On average around seven other people are affected by a severe problem gambler’s behaviour. That’s around 2 million Australians;
• More than 50% of regular poker machine users are problem gamblers or at risk of becoming problem gamblers.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Relationships Australia

Dr Charles Livingstone, Monash University

Dr Richard Woolley, University of Western Sydney

Professor Jan McMillen, Australian National University

Tim Costello, CEO World Vision

Gambling Research Australia

Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe, South Sydney Rugby League Club

Gambling and Betting Addiction Australia

Lifeline, Canberra, Kellie Jones

Gabriela Byrne, Free Yourself Programme

Gamblers Anonymous

Dr Mark Zirnsak, Chair, Interchurch Gambling Taskforce

Anglicare Victoria

Centrecare

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Standing committee on Economics

Possible hearing date(s):

10-12 June

Possible reporting date:

Wednesday, 25 June 2008

(signed)

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Renewable Energy Legislation Amendment (Renewable Power Percentage) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

To examine the provisions of the bill relating to the expansion of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target from 2008 rather than the current government’s planned expansion of the target from 2011. Examine the impacts on the ongoing development of renewable energy industry, capacity or the renewable energy industry to meet an expanded 2008 target, employment and additional greenhouse emissions abatement of 30 million tonnes above business as usual.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Origin Energy

Truenergy

AGL

Australian Greenhouse Office

Department of Industry Tourism and Resources

Business Council for Sustainable Energy

Energy Performance Contracting Association of Australia

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

-

Possible reporting date:

30 May 2008

(signed)

Senator Andew Bartlett, Australian Democrats Whip

Appendix 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Rights of the Terminally Ill (Euthanasia Laws Repeal) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

(1)

In the decade since the national parliament overturned the Northern Territory Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 community support has grown for citizens to choose to die with dignity if they are terminally ill or in intractable pain

(2)

All opinion polls indicate the majority (80% in February 2007) of Australians want to have this legal option

(3)

A referral provides an opportunity to properly review the views of individuals and organisations on this issue and the need to reinstate the Northern Territory’s law and provide an opportunity for the Act to introduce similar law

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Northern Territory and ACT Government representatives, medical professionals and organisations, voluntary euthanasia support organisations, academics, other organisations and individuals

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Committee on Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

Darwin, Canberra, other capitals

Possible reporting date:

1 May 2008

(signed)

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Stolen Generations Compensation Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

To examine the provisions of the bill, including:

• Examining the viability of the proposed compensation model, including examining existing domestic and international compensation models; and
• Reviewing any relevant unimplemented recommendations of the Bringing Them Home Report

Possible submissions or evidence from:

HREOC’s Social Justice Unit

Tasmanian Government

Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)

Caxton Legal Service

Northern Territory Stolen Generations Corporation

Central Australian Stolen Generations and Families Aboriginal Corporation

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Legal and Constitutional Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

-

Possible reporting date:

16 June 2008

(signed)

Senator Andrew Bartlett, Australian Democrats Whip

Appendix 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

National Market Driven Energy Efficiency Target Bill 2007

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

The National Market Driven Energy Efficiency Target Bill 2007 is a private Senator’s bill which was referred to the committee on 16 August 2007 for report by 22 October 2007. Nine submissions were received, however no hearings were conducted.

The committee sought and received an extension of time from the Senate on 17 September 2007 to report on these bills by the last day of the 41st Parliament, 11 February 2008. However, the intervening federal election prevented the committee from further examining the bills.

The Bill was restored to the Notice Paper on the 14 February and re-referral to the committee is sought in order to complete the examination of the Bill—specifically the provisions of the bill relating to definition of energy efficiency activities, monitoring and verification of energy efficiency savings, the energy efficiency improvement potential of the economy, the level of the energy efficiency target and the impacts to the economy and productivity benefits including impacts to GDP, inflation, employment and technology innovation.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Adjunct Professor Alan Pears

Hydro Tasmania

Green Building Council of Australia

Australian Conservation Foundation

Mr Matt Brazier

Energy Retailers Association of Australia (ERAA)

Australian Substantial Built Environment Council (ASBEC)

Szencorp Sustainable Development

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

30 May 2008

(signed)

Senator Andrew Bartlett, Australian Democrats Whip