Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I present the seventh report of 2014 of the Selection of Bills committee and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 7 of 2014

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 at 7.20 pm.

2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a) contingent upon its introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Repeal) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) the provisions of the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014 and the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 2 and 3 for statements of reasons for referral);

(c) the provisions of the Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 July 2014 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) contingent upon their introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014, the Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014, the Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2014 and the Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 July 2014 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e) the Migration Amendment (Protecting Babies Born in Australia) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 28 October 2014 (see appendix 6 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(f) the provisions of the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 August 2014 (see appendix 7 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(g) the provisions of the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 1) Bill 2014 and the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee but was unable to reach agreement on a reporting date (see appendices 8 and 9 for statements 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 bill to its next meeting:

(Helen Kroger)

Chair

19 June 2014

APPENDIX 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Repeal) Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Examination of how effective ARENA has been in developing commercial clean energy technologies for Australia's future prosperity.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

ARENA, CSIRO, Department of Industry, Local Governments, Universities, Grant Recipients or Potential Recipients in ARENA's project pipeline.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

24 July, 7 August, 21 August.

Possible reporting date:

4 September 2014

(signed)

Senator Siewert

APPENDIX 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014

Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

The Government did not consult stakeholders on the details of the Bill. Stakeholders have expressed to the Opposition a desire to have an opportunity to put their views on the record.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the Committee,

Possible reporting date:

26 August 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:

Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014

Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To investigate the effectiveness of the payment scheme in redressing and resolving the matters associated with the application of the BSWAT Tool.

To ensure that the payment scheme will be available and fully accessible to everyone who is entitled to it.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

Possible hearing date(s):

25 July

Possible reporting date:

26 Aug

(signed)

Senator Siewert

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

APPENDIX 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Possible hearing date(s):

(signed)

Senator McEwen

APPENDIX 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014

Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014

Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2014

Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

(signed)

Senator McEwen

APPENDIX 6

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Migration Amendment (Protecting Babies Born in Australia) Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Legal obligations Australia has to babies born in Australia.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Human Rights Law Centre

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Amnesty International

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Possible hearing date(s):

18-24 August, 2014

Possible reporting date:

28 October 2014

(signed)

Senator Siewert

APPENDIX 7

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To scrutinise the implications of increasing the cost of pharmaceuticals on consumers and to examine the effect of changing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Consumers Health Forum, Public Health Association of Australia

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee

Possible reporting date:

26 August 2014

(signed)

Senator McEwen

APPENDIX 8

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 1) Bill 2014

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Controversial Budget measures are contained in these two bills, including cuts to pension indexation, cu

Possible submissions or evidence from:

ACOSS - Cassandra Goldie, Peter Davidson

UnitingCare - Lin Hatfied Dodds

National Seniors - Michael O'Neil

Council of the Aging - Ian Yates

Anglicare Australia - Kasy Chambers

Brotherhood of St Laurence - Tony Nicholson

Carers Australia - Ara Creswell

St Vincent De Paul -John Falzon

Mission Australia - Catherine Yeomans

NATSEM - Ben Philips

ANU - Peter Whiteford

ACTU - Matthew Cowgill

National Council for Single Mothers - Terese Edwards

National Welfare Rights - Maree O'Halloran, Gerard Thomas

AFDO - Matthew Wright

People with Disability Australia - Craig Wallace

National Disability Services - Ken Baker

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

To be determined by the committee.

Possible reporting date:

26 Aug 2014

(signed)

Senator McEwen

APPENDIX 9

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:

Name of bill:

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No.1) Bill 2014

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2014

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Investigate the impact of this budget measure on low and middle income families who will be affected by it, particularly in relation to the financial stress and other forms of hardship that these measures may create for people.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

ACOSS

Welfare Rights

Australian Lawyers Alliance

National Union of Students

Department of Employment

Department of Social Services

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

July 25th, July 28, Aug 6,7,8.

Possible reporting date:

Sept 4

(signed)

Senator Siewert

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member

I move:

  That the report be adopted.