Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the 13th report of 2008 of the Selection of Bills Committee.

Ordered that the report be adopted.

I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 13 OF 2008

(1)

The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 at 4.20 pm.

(2)

The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a)

the provisions of the Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No.2) 2008 and the Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 21 November 2008 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b)

the Migration Legislation Amendment (Worker Protection) Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 7 November 2008 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral)

(c)

the provisions of the Schools Assistance Bill 2008 and the Education Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee for inquiry and report by 27 November 2008 (see appendices 3 and 4 for statements of reasons for referral);

(d)

the provisions of the Water Amendment Bill 2008 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 19 November 2008 (see appendices 5 and 6 for statements of reasons for referral); and

(e)

upon introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of a Bill for an Act about the Building Australia Fund, the Education Investment Fund and the Health and Hospitals Fund, and for other purposes and a related bill , together with the provisions a bill to establish the COAG Reform Fund, and for other purposes, be referred immediately to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by 10 November 2008 (see appendix 7 for a statement of reasons for referral) .

(3)

The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:

• Dairy Adjustment Levy Termination Bill 2008
• Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds) Bill (No. 2) 2008
• Trade Practices Amendment (Clarity in Pricing) Bill 2008
• Transport Security Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008
• Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008.

The committee recommends accordingly.

(Anne McEwen)

Acting Chair

15 October 2008

Appendix 1

Name of bill:

Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2008

Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Multiple amendments required

Possible amendments.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

(signed)

Appendix 2

Name of bill:

Migration Legislation Amendment (Worker Protection) Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Issues about retrospectivity, additional red tape, compliance costs and additional visa holder costs to be met by sponsors will disadvantage small employers

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

(signed)

Appendix 3

Name of bill:

Schools Assistance Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Schools funding is a complex, evolving and contested issue - an inquiry is appropriate to inform Senate consideration.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Schools, education academics, education unions etc

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Possible hearing date(s): Depends on Committee schedule

Possible reporting date: February 2009

(signed)

Appendix 4

Name of bill:

Schools Assistance Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To investigate concerns raised by the Education sector

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

(signed)

Appendix 5

Name of bill:

Water Amendment Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To ensure the amendments in the Bill are effective in delivering better water management in Australia.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

MDBA, MDBL, ACF, WWP, NFF, Commonwealth and State agencies, academics, Wentworth Group

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date: 24 November 2008

(signed)

Appendix 6

Name of bill:

Water Amendment Bill 2008

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date: 19 November 2008.

(signed)

Appendix 7

Name of bills:

Nation-Building Funds Bill 2008

Nation-Building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008

Purpose of the Bills

The Nation-building Funds Bill 2008 establishes:

• the Building Australia Fund (BAF), to provide a financing source for future investment in critical economic infrastructure in transport and communications such as road, rail, port facilities and broadband;
• the Education Investment Fund (EIF) to provide a financing source for future infrastructure priorities in higher education, vocational education and training, and research institutions; and
• the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) to provide a financing source for future health infrastructure priorities.

The Nation-building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008 deals with consequential matters relating to the establishment of the BAF, EIF and HHF, including amendments required to the Future Fund Act 2006, the Telecommunications (consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 and the repeal of the Higher Education

COAG Reform Fund Bill 2008

Purpose of the Bill

The bill establishes the COAG Reform Fund.

The COAG Reform Fund will receive contributions directly from the Commonwealth Budget as well as from three other funds being set up by the Government for capital investment —the Building Australia Fund; Education Investment Fund; and Health and Hospitals Fund. The purpose of these funds, which are to be financed largely from future budget surpluses, is to underpin future progress on investment and reforms in these key sectors. Where the investments are to he undertaken by the States, and the Commonwealth has agreed to fund these, the funding will be provided through the COAG Reform Fund in the form of National Partnership payments

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To ensure that the issues the bill raises are considered before Senate consideration

Possible submissions or evidence from: TBA

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Economics Committee

Possible hearing date(s): week of 27 October 2008

Possible reporting date: 10 November 2008

(signed)