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

I move the following amendment to Senator Moore's amendment:

Omit all words, substitute:

At the end of the motion, add 'and, in respect of:

(a) the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Repeal) Bill 2014, the Economics Legislation Committee report by 7 July 2014;

(b) the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014 and the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014, the Community Affairs Legislation Committee report by 24 June 2014; and

(c) 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, the Community Affairs Legislation Committee report by 23 June 2014.

What this proposed amendment to Senator Moore's amendment seeks to do is bring forward reporting dates. We are not averse to committees of the Senate examining legislation, as is their role; what we are proposing is timeframes which will facilitate the consideration of this legislation in such a way as to give effect to budget measures, some of which are time critical and commence on 1 July.

It is often the case, with the budget being in May and measures that are often proposed to commence on 1 July, that there is a fairly tight time frame between budget night when bills need to be considered and when they need to take effect. That is a function of the fact that we have May budgets and measures that often commence on 1 July. I would indicate that the time frame we are proposing for consideration of legislation is in fact longer than was often the case under the previous government where there were often very constrained time frames imposed on Senate committees to consider legislation in circumstances where they were not time-critical. I think it is entirely reasonable that there be the time frames, as proposed in my amendment, for consideration of legislation by Senate committees. It is not to seek to deny the role and responsibility of Senate committees to do their work, but it is a function of the fact that we have May budgets and often July commencement for legislation, and sometimes that work has to happen in a short time frame.

I also want to draw attention to the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool legislation. This is an attempt by the Australian government to establish a payment scheme for supported employees, many of whom would have intellectual disability, who are in Australian Disability Enterprises and who previously had their wages assessed under the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool. There is a recognition that a new assessment tool needs to be found, but it is also important that supported employees, who had their wages assessed under the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool previously, have the opportunity for some certainty as to funds which they may be owed, and also for those disability enterprises who employ them to have some certainty as to how that might happen. It is important for disability enterprises and it is important for supported employees that there be a scheme in place, arrangements in place, so that they know what their options are, and it is important that that happens sooner rather than later. That is why we are proposing a time frame for consideration of the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool payment scheme legislation that can accommodate that objective.

The government believe that the time frames that are proposed here are reasonable in the circumstances. I would commend my amendment to Senator Moore's amendment to the chamber.