Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add: "and:

(a) in respect of the Cyber Security Bill 2024, the Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Bill 2024 and the Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Response and Prevention) Bill 2024, the bills not be referred to a committee;

(b) the provisions of the Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Bill 2024 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 November 2024; and

(c) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 November 2024".

I will speak briefly to this amendment, particularly in relation to the Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Bill. We would like that to report by 14 November. I understand there is some disagreement about that. I would just point out to the chamber that there has been extensive consultation. The Harris review was handed to the former government in 2021, but its recommendations were not implemented.

Since coming to government there's been a further range of consultations with community groups and industry. The response to these recommendations was released in February this year, with drafting having been completed in the intervening period. The reforms have been open to scrutiny for a number of years now. Pushing consideration off to next year will only delay these much-needed reforms. It's also noted that Senator McKenzie has been calling for these reforms to be implemented as soon as possible. So we would urge the Senate to allow for the inquiry into this amendment bill to report by 14 November 2024, rather than seeking to delay it until next year.