Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I present the third report of 2013 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 3 OF 2013

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 at 7.20 pm.

2. The committee resolved to recommend:

That—

(a) the provisions of the Aged Care (Living Longer Living Better) Bill 2013, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Bill 2013, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, the Aged Care (Bond Security) Amendment Bill 2013 and the Aged Care (Bond Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 17 June 2013 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) the Citizen Initiated Referendum Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 24 June 2013 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c) the provisionsof the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 May 2013 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) the provisions of the Tax Laws Amendment (Countering Tax Avoidance and Multinational Profit Shifting) Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 May 2013 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(e) the provisionsof the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Bill 2013 and the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Amendment (Registration Fees) Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 17 June 2013 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral).

3. The committee recommends that the provisions of the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013, the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013, the Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013, the News Media (Self- regulation) Bill 2013, the News Media (Self-regulation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013 and the Public Interest Media Advocate Bill 2013, contingent upon their introduction in the House of Representatives, be referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices and 7 for statements of reasons for referral).

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

2013 [No. 2]

Parliamentary Service Amendment (Parliamentary Budget Officer) Bill

2013.

The committee recommends accordingly.

5. The committee considered the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Material of Local Significance) Bill 2013 and noted that the Senate had agreed to refer the bill and a related matter to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report.

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

2013

Parents) Bill 2013

2013

(Anne McEwen)

Chair

14 March 2013

APPENDIX 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

N am e of bill:

Reasons for referral/ principal issues for consideration:

For detailed consideration of the provisions of the Bill including:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

17 June 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of Bill:

Citizen's Initiated Referendum Bill2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

In undertaking the inquiry, the Committee should consider:

1. Citizens' Initiated Referendum (CIR) promotes greater openness and accountability in public decision-making.

2. Laws instituted as a result of a CIR are more clearly derived from the popular expression of the people's will

3. Government authority flows from the people and is based upon their consent

4. Citizens in a democracy have the responsibility to participate in the political system.

5. The Inter Parliamentary Union's call on member states to strengthen democracy through constitutional instruments including the citizen's right to initiate legislation.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Legal and Constitutional reform groups Citizens' rights groups

Political parties

Electoral reform groups

Individual Australian citizens

Committee to which the bill is to be referred:

Senate Standing Committee on Economics (Legislation)

Possible hearing date(s):

April2013

May 2013

June 2013

Possible reporting date:

24th June 2013

(signed)

Senator Bushby

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To give close scrutiny to this major change to the EPBC Act

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Minerals Council of Australia

Victorian Farmers Federation National Farmers Federation NSW State Government

QLD State Government

AGL

Australian Coal Association

Any Coal Seam Gas Companies

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications

Possible hearing date(s):

22, 27, 28 March.

4, 5 April

Possible reporting date:

April / May 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Tax Laws Amendment (Countering Tax Avoidance and Multinational Profit Shifting) Bill 2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Schedule 1

To examine whether Part IVA amendments are appropriately targeted

Schedule 2

To examine:

De minimis threshold

Documentation requirements

ATO's power to 'reconstruct'

Financial impact

Possible submissions or evidence from:

ATO

Treasury

Australian Tax Institute

Impacted companies

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics

Possible hearing date(s):

April2013

Possible reporting date:

May 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Bill2013

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Amendment (Registration Fees) Bill2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Examination of the proposed tax impost on the water supply industry as a means of collecting a fee.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Water Supply Association of Australia Australian Plumbing Association

State governments

Australian Water Association

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications

Possible hearing date(s):

March/April

Possible reporting date:

April/May

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 6

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill2013

Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill2013

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Media Diversity) Bill2013

Public Interest Media Advocate Bill2013

News Media (Self-regulation) Bill 2013

News Media (Sell-regulation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Referral is proposed because of the extremely short timeframe the Government has proposed for consideration of these laws. The Government's so-called 'media reforms' are the largest shakeup of media regulation since 2006. Some of the most important elements of these measures, such as the precise criteria defining the 'public interest' which the legislation will apply to changes of media ownership, have not been publicly disclosed prior to introduction of these bills. As a result there has been no opportunity to consider any unintended consequences or conflicts with existing laws and regulations. The laws also propose the first direct government controls over material published in newspapers in peace time in Australian history. To expect the Parliament to debate and vote on such far-reaching bills without the opportunity to call witnesses, to hear evidence and to undertake the detailed, objective scrutiny only a committee process provides would be an abuse of the democratic process.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Free to air TV broadcasters

Fairfax

News Ltd

ACCC

Google

Telstra

Apple

AIIA

Foxtel

Press Council

ACMA

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

April/May

Possible reporting date:

17th June 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 7

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other

Measures) Bill 2013

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013

News Media (Self-regulation) Bill 2013

News Media (Self-regulation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill2013

Public Interest Media Advocate Bill 2013

Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Legislative committee to examine bills for quick report.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Media Organisations and Interest Groups

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital

Economy

The Australian Communications and Media Authority

The Australian Press Council

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

15-19 March 2013

Possible reporting date:

9:30am 20 March 2013   

(signed)

Senator McEwen

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

I move:

That the report be adopted.