Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the fifth report of 2008 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills and I lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 5 of 2008. I also present the report Work of the committee during the 40th Parliament, February 2002 to August 2004.

Ordered that the reports be printed.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the reports.

I seek leave to have the tabling statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Today, in addition to tabling the Committee’s Fifth Report of 2008 and Alert Digest No. 5 of 2008, I am pleased to table a Report on the Work of the Committee during the 40th Parliament.

This 40th Parliament Report discusses the scrutiny work that the Committee carried out between February 2002 and August 2004, and also provides statistical data. The report should prove particularly useful to Ministers and their advisers, as it contains examples of how the Committee applies the scrutiny criteria set out in Standing Order 24.

As outlined in Chapter 1 of this report, during the 40th Parliament the Committee had cause to express concern at the quality of the explanatory memoranda accompanying many of the bills that came before it. Unfortunately, this has become a bit of a Committee refrain, and we find ourselves, during this 42nd Parliament, still frequently lamenting the quality of explanatory memoranda.

During the 40th Parliament, in addition to its legislative scrutiny work, the Committee also finalised an inquiry into the application of absolute and strict liability offences in Commonwealth legislation. This inquiry was referred by the Senate in June 2001. The Committee’s report on that inquiry, along with the Government’s response, is discussed in Chapter 7 of this report.

The Scrutiny of Bills Committee depends on the contributions of many people. During the 40th Parliament, the Committee was ably chaired by Senator Barney Cooney. The Committee also had many distinguished members – Senator Winston Crane, Senator Guy Barnett, Senator Trish Crossin, the late Senator Jeannie Ferris, Senator David Johnston, Senator Jan McLucas, Senator Gavin Marshall, Senator Brett Mason and Senator Andrew Murray.

One of those members, Senator Murray, is still with the Committee today. In fact he has served on the Committee continuously since July 1996 and his contribution to the work of the Committee is particularly noteworthy. His intelligent, constructive, and common sense approach to legislative scrutiny will be sorely missed when he retires later this month.

The effectiveness of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee is also dependent on the responsiveness of both Ministers and Senators. It is when the Reports and Alert Digests issued by the Committee are considered and acted upon by Ministers and the Senate that the work of the Committee has its greatest effect, both in improving the legislation considered by the Parliament, and in improving the quality of debate in respect of that legislation.

On behalf of the Committee, I would like to put on record our thanks to all those who have helped us achieve what we have.

I commend the Report to the Senate.

Question agreed to.