Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of the Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee (Senator Kroger), I present the ninth 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. 9 OF 2013

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 13 November 2013 at 7.28 pm.

2. The committee resolved to recommend:

That—

(a) contingent upon their introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 and the Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report, but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 1 and 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) the provisions of the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013, Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013 and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report, but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 3 and 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c) the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Above the Line Voting) Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting Wednesday in March 2014 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) contingent upon its introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report, but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 6 and 7 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e) the provisions of the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 2 December 2013 (see appendix 8 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(f) the Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Amendment Bill 2013 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting Wednesday in February 2014 (see appendix 9 for a statement of reasons for referral).

3. The committee resolved to recommend:

That the following bills not be referred to committees:

The committee recommends accordingly.

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

(Helen Kroger)

Chair

14 November 2013

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 & related bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Detailed consideration of the Government's legislation to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Employer associations Employee associations State Governments

Department of Employment

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Education and Employment Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date: 2 December 2013

(signed)   

Senator Fifield

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMI TTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity Bill) and related bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To allow for adequate consultation and consideration of the potential impact of the re-establishment of the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner on the building and construction industry.

Possible submissions or evidence from: Unions and union members, employer bodies and trade and labour councils.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date: 30 March, 2014

(signed)

Senator McEwen

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill (s):

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

costs to households and businesses from Labor's Carbon Tax; and

the impact of the Carbon Tax on business costs including mining, manufacturing and small business.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment & Communications

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the Committee.

Possible reporting date:

2 December 2013

(Signed)

Senator Fifield

Appendix 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Clean Enemy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy)_Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal' Bill 2013

True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013

Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013

Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013

Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To ensure proper scrutiny of these Bills and their impact on Australia's efforts to tackle climate change and carbon pollution.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Climate scientists, economists, business groups,

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

March 2014

(signed)

Senator McEwen

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of Bill:

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Above the Line Voting) Bill 2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

In undertaking the Inquiry, the Committee should consider:

1. Whether the current Senate voting system Is still able to represent the will of the people;

2. The role of group and Individual voting tickets, and whether they are open to manipulation; and

3. The outcome of the 2013 election and whether this indicates the need for Senate voting reform.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Australian Electoral Commission

Professor Clement Macintyre, Adelaide University

Professor Dean Jaensch

Antony Green, ABC election analyst New South Wales Electoral Commission

Committee to which the bill is to be referred:

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters

Possible hearing date(s):

January/February 2014

Possible reporting date:

March 2014

(signed)

Senator Kroger

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 6

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Detailed consideration of the Government's legislation to provide for greater accountability and transparency of registered organisations.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Employer associations Employee associations

Department of Employment

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Education and Employment Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

2 December 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Appendix 7

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To allow for adequate consultation and consideration of the potential impact of the proposed amendments on registered organisations.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Officials and employees of registered organisations.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

30 March, 2014

(signed)

Senator McEwen

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 8

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013 Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The repeal of the legislation will provide a boost for the mining industry and remove significance compliance burden

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Organisations affected by the compliance burden of the current tax

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics Committee

Possible hearing date(s): To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date: 2 December 2013

(signed)

Senator Fifield

Appendix 9

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of Bill:

Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Amendment Bill 2013

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

In undertaking the inquiry, the Committee should consider:

1. Whether the current guidelines issued by the Committee regarding ridicule and satire are still appropriate;

2. Whether similar restrictions exist in other jurisdictions, both domestically and overseas; and

3. The benefits to the Australian public and public debate of removing the current restrictions regarding ridicule and satire.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

ABC

SBS

Channel 7

Channel 10

Channel 9

Office of the Usher of the Black Rod

Office of the Serjeant-at-Arms

Committee to which the bill is to be referred:

Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

December 2013

Possible reporting date:

February 2014

(signed)

Senator Kroger

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

I move:

That—

(a) the report be adopted; but

(b) in respect of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 and related bill, the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and related bills, and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013, the committees report by 2 December 2013.

I think it is fair to say that the incoming government's intention to legislate to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission was well canvassed over several years and that that intention is of no surprise. The detail of that particular commitment was very clearly outlined in the coalition's pre-election policy. Obviously, it is important that there is the opportunity for scrutiny of legislation, which is why the coalition supports reference of this piece of legislation and report by 2 December, which the government thinks is a reasonable time frame.

The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013 falls into the same category. The coalition's policy before the election was very clearly articulated and this piece of legislation comes as no surprise. Again, the government supports the reference of this bill to the relevant Senate legislation committee for inquiry and report by 2 December 2013.

But I particularly want to direct my comments here to the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and related bills. Again, we could not have been clearer before the election as to what our position was in relation to the repeal of the carbon tax. But the ironic thing here is that the opposition will no doubt contend that the time frame allowed for consideration by the Senate legislation committee for this bill is inadequate. This is what the opposition will contend. But how ironic is it that the opposition, when in government, only allowed Senate inquiry of a number of days into their carbon tax legislation, which was actually seeking to break an election commitment.

What we are endeavouring to do here, with this carbon tax repeal legislation, is give effect to an election commitment. What the opposition will in effect be doing by their decision to oppose a reporting date of 2 December 2013 is stating very clearly that they think a piece of legislation that seeks to break an election commitment deserves less scrutiny than a piece of legislation that seeks to give effect to an election commitment. I am sure that is what the opposition will do and that is an incredibly perverse form of logic. As I said, the coalition could not have been clearer over the past three years about our policy in relation to this area. The Australian people gave the government a very clear mandate that they want the carbon tax legislation repealed.

Despite that, the government still thinks it is appropriate that there be a Senate inquiry into the legislation. I think for legislation of this sort that is just good practice. But the Australian people want us to get on with this job. They want us to repeal the carbon tax. There should be a speedy Senate inquiry. I urge the opposition to appreciate the irony of requiring longer scrutiny of a bill that seeks to give effect to an election commitment than was given to a piece of legislation, the carbon tax legislation, that actually sought to breach an election commitment.

I do want to acknowledge that the Australian Greens are displaying integrity in relation to the consideration of this bill. They agree with the government that it is important that this package of bills comes to a vote in short time. With those remarks, I urge the opposition to reconsider their approach.