Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move the motion as amended:

That, effective on 14 May 2009, standing order 25 be amended to read as follows:

25  Legislative and general purpose

(1)

At the commencement of each Parliament, legislative and general purpose standing committees shall be appointed, as follows:

       Community Affairs

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Economics

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Environment, Communications and the Arts

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Finance and Public Administration

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Legislation Committee

References Committee

       Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Legislation Committee

References Committee.

(b)   The references committees shall inquire into and report upon other matters referred to them by the Senate.

(b)   Each references committee shall consist of 6 senators, 2 nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 3 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and one nominated by minority groups and independent senators.

(b)   The allocation of places on the committees amongst minority groups and independent senators shall be as nearly as practicable proportional to the numbers of those minority groups and independent senators in the Senate.

(b)   On the nominations of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and minority groups and independent senators, participating members may be appointed to the committees.

(c)   Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committees, and have all the rights of members of committees, but may not vote on any questions before the committees.

(d)   A participating member shall be taken to be a member of a committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.

(e)   If a member of a committee is unable to attend a meeting of the committee, that member may in writing to the chair of the committee appoint a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee at that meeting. If the member is incapacitated or unavailable, a letter to the chair of a committee appointing a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee may be signed on behalf of the member by the leader of the party or group on whose nomination the member was appointed to the committee.

   (b) Each references committees shall elect as its chair a member nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or a member of a minority group in the Senate, and as its deputy chair a member nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

(c)   The chairs and deputy chairs to which members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and members of minority groups and independent senators are elected shall be determined by agreement between the opposition and minority groups and independent senators, and, in the absence of agreement duly notified to the President, any question of the allocation of chairs and deputy chairs shall be determined by the Senate.

(d)   The deputy chair shall act as the chair of the committee when the member elected as chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

(e)   When votes on a question before a committee are equally divided, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote.

(f)   The chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of a committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.

(a)   in the usual manner when notices are given; or

(b)   at any other time by a senator:

(i)

stating its terms to the Senate, when no other business is before the chair, or

(ii)

delivering a copy to the Clerk, who shall report it to the Senate at the first opportunity;

(a)   Examine each annual report referred to it and report to the Senate whether the report is apparently satisfactory.

(b)   Consider in more detail, and report to the Senate on, each annual report which is not apparently satisfactory, and on the other annual reports which it selects for more detailed consideration.

(c)   Investigate and report to the Senate on any lateness in the presentation of annual reports.

(d)   In considering an annual report, take into account any relevant remarks about the report made in debate in the Senate.

(e)   If the committee so determines, consider annual reports of departments and budget-related agencies in conjunction with examination of estimates.

(f)   Report on annual reports tabled by 31 October each year by the tenth sitting day of the following year, and on annual reports tabled by 30 April each year by the tenth sitting day after 30 June of that year.

(g)   Draw to the attention of the Senate any significant matters relating to the operations and performance of the bodies furnishing the annual reports.

(h)   Report to the Senate each year whether there are any bodies which do not present annual reports to the Senate and which should present such reports.

Question agreed to.