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

I present the fifth report of the 2008 Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Report No. 5 of 2008

(1)

The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 at 12.49 pm.

(2)

The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a)

the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (2008 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Committee for inquiry and report by 24 June 2008 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b)

the Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 24 June 2008;

(c)

the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Feed-in-Tariff) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee for inquiry and report by 14 October 2008 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d)

the Tax Laws Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 24 June 2008; and

(e)

the Unit Pricing (Easy comparison of grocery prices) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 2 September 2008 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral).

(3)

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

• Commonwealth Securities and Investment Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2008
• Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco Content) Bill 2008
• Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Bill 2008
• Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008
• Dental Benefits Bill 2008
• Dental Benefits (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008
• Evidence Amendment Bill 2008
• Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2008
• Farm Household Support Amendment (Additional Drought Assistance Measures) Bill 2008
• First Home Saver Accounts Bill 2008
• First Home Saver Accounts (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008
• Health Care (Appropriation) Amendment Bill 2008
• Higher Education Support Amendment (2008 Budget Measures) Bill 2008
• Income Tax (First Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Bill 2008
• Income Tax (Managed Investment Trust Transitional) Bill 2008
• Income Tax (Managed Investment Trust Withholding Tax) Bill 2008
• Indigenous Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment (2008 Budget Measures) Bill 2008
• Judiciary Amendment Bill 2008
• Law Officers Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2008
• Parliamentary (Judicial Misbehaviour or Incapacity) Commission Bill 2007 [2008]
• Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
• Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Employment Entry Payment) Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (Election Commitments No. 1) Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy and Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2008

The committee recommends accordingly.

(4)

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

• A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax Imposition—Customs) Amendment Bill 2008
• A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax Imposition—Excise) Amendment Bill 2008
• A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax Imposition—General) Amendment Bill 2008
• Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Political Donations and Other Measures) Bill 2008
• Excise Legislation Amendment (Condensate) Bill 2008
• Excise Tariff Amendment (Condensate) Bill 2008
• National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) Bill 2008
• National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008
• National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical and Other Benefits—Cost Recovery) Bill 2008
• Plastic Bag Levy (Assessment and Collection) Bill 2002 [2008]
• Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws—Superannuation) Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 3) Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (Luxury Car Tax) Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds) Bill 2008
• Trade Practices (Creeping Acquisitions) Amendment Bill 2007 [2008]

(Kerry O’Brien)

Chair

18 June 2008

Appendix 1

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (2008) budget and Other Measures) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The effect of changes in schedule 6 to the income definition for Family Tax Benefit A and B and the Child Care Benefit to include the reportable fringe benefit total of an employee. This change will particularly affect employees working for public benevolent institutions.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

The Charities Tax Advisory Service

Charity organisations such as

St Vincent de Paul

Red Cross

The Salvation Army

Australian Council of Social Services

Australian Services Union

Catholic Health Australia

St John Ambulance Australia

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): 20 June 2008

Possible reporting date: 5 June 2008

Appendix 2

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Feed-in-Tariff) fii1 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

This Bill has significant implications the renewable energy sector, existing electricity generators and retailers, and the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Existing and potential wind, solar PV, solar thermal, geothermal, biomass and wave generators.

Existing electricity generators, electricity retailers and the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator.

Energy sector experts/ academics, including international experts familiar with kV!, Legislation abroad.

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Environment, Communication and the Arts Committee

Possible hearing date(s): August 2008

Possible reporting date: Early October

Appendix 3

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Unit Pricing (Easy comparison of grocery prices) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Family First introduced the Unit Pricing (Easy Comparison of Grocery Prices) Bill 2008 to save families  money by making it mandatory for supermarkets to display a per unit price, such as per kilogram or per litre, on all grocery items sold.

A recent Family First survey uncovered that in one supermarket:

• a Pauls 3 litre milk container was actually more expensive per litre than a Pauls 2 litre milk container
• a Coles lkg tin of fruit salad was .32% more expensive per kg than the smaller 825g
• a 600g jar of Vegemite costs 50% more per kilogram than the 150g jar.

The cost of. food a big part of every family’s budget and unit pricing will help Australians save money at the checkout. By making it mandatory for supermarkets to display unit pricing on grocery items it will provide families with fair and transparent pricing so they can get the best value for their dollar. It is often hard to calculate which items are cheapest with different sizing making quick and easy comparison difficult on a busy shopping day. The bill sets out a der\tailed national, unit pricing scheme. An inquiry would allow feedback from families, community groups and industry.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Consumer Action Law Centre, Coles, Choice, Aldi, Queensland Consumers Association, Australian Retail Association, Woolworths, National Association of Retail Grocers (NARGA) and various others such as welfare, consumer and community advocate groups.

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Economics Committee

Possible hearing date(s): 18 and 19 August 2008

Possible reporting date: 2 September 2008

I move:

That the report be adopted.