Senate debates
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Committees
Reports: Government Responses
Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
In accordance with the usual practice, I table a report on parliamentary committee reports to which the government has not responded within the prescribed period. The report has been circulated to honourable senators. With the concurrence of the Senate, the report will be incorporated in Hansard.
The report read as follows—
PRESIDENT’S REPORT TO THE SENATE ON GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OUTSTANDING TO PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE REPORTS—AS AT 4 DECEMBER 2008
PREFACE
This document continues the practice of presenting to the Senate twice each year a list of government responses to Senate and joint committee reports as well as responses which remain outstanding.
The practice of presenting this list to the Senate is in accordance with the resolution of the Senate of 14 March 1973 and the undertaking by successive governments to respond to parliamentary committee reports in timely fashion. On 26 May 1978 the Minister for Administrative Services (Senator Withers) informed the Senate that within six months of the tabling of a committee report, the responsible minister would make a statement in the Parliament outlining the action the government proposed to take in relation to the report. The period for responses was reduced from six months to three months in 1983 by the incoming government. The Leader of the Government in the Senate announced this change on 24 August 1983. The method of response continued to be by way of statement. Subsequently, on 16 October 1991 [tabled 5 Nov 1991] the government advised that responses to committee reports would be made by letter to a committee chair, with the letter being tabled in the Senate at the earliest opportunity. The previous government affirmed its commitment in June 1996 to respond to relevant parliamentary committee reports within three months of their presentation.
This list does not usually include reports of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works or the following Senate Standing Committees: Appropriations and Staffing, Selection of Bills, Privileges, Procedure, Publications, Regulations and Ordinances, Senators’ Interests and Scrutiny of Bills. However, such reports will be included if they require a response. Government responses to reports of the Public Works Committee are normally reflected in motions in the House of Representatives for the approval of works after the relevant report has been presented and considered.
Reports of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) primarily make administrative recommendations but may make policy recommendations. A government response is required in respect of such policy recommendations made by the committee. However, responses to administrative recommendations are made in the form of an executive minute provided to, and subsequently tabled by, the committee. Agencies responding to administrative recommendations are required to provide an executive minute within six months of the tabling of a report. The committee monitors the provision of such responses.
An entry on this list for a report of the JCPAA containing only administrative recommendations is annotated to indicate that the response is to be provided in the form of an executive minute. Consequently, any other government response is not required. However, any reports containing policy recommendations are included in this report as requiring a government response.
Committees report on bills and the provisions of bills. Only those reports in this category that make recommendations which cannot readily be addressed during the consideration of the bill, and therefore require a response, are listed. The list also does not include reports by committees on estimates or scrutiny of annual reports, unless recommendations are made that require a response.
A guide to the legend used in the ‘Date response presented/made to the Senate’ column
* See document tabled in the Senate on 21 June 2007, entitled Government Responses to Parliamentary Committee Reports–Response to the schedule tabled by the President of the Senate on 7 December 2006 , for Government interim/final response.
** Report contains administrative recommendations – any response to those recommendations is to be provided direct to the JCPAA committee in the form of an executive minute.
Committee and title of report | Date report tabled | Date response presented/made to the Senate | Response made within specified period (3 months) | |
A Certain Maritime Incident (Senate Select) |
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Report on a Certain Maritime Incident | 23.10.02 | *(interim) | No | |
Administration of Indigenous Affairs (Senate Select) |
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After ATSIC—Life in the mainstream? | 8.3.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Agricultural and Related Industries (Senate Select) |
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Interim report—Pricing and supply arrangements in the Australian and global fertiliser markets | 2.12.08 | Not required | - | |
Australian Crime Commission (Joint Statutory) |
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Review of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 | 10.11.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Examination of the annual report for 2004-05 of the Australian Crime Commission | 19.10.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Inquiry into the manufacture, importation and use of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs (AOSD) in Australia | 28.2.07 | - | No | |
Inquiry into the future impact of serious and organised crime on Australian society | 19.9.07 | - | No | |
Examination of the Australian Crime Commission annual report 2006-07 | 18.6.08 | - | No | |
Inquiry into the Australian Crime Commission Amendment Act 2007 | 4.9.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Community Affairs Legislation |
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Tobacco advertising prohibition | 16.11.04 (presented 30.9.04) | *(interim) | No | |
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial responsibility for approval of RU486) Bill 2005 | 8.2.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Community Affairs References |
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Workplace exposure to toxic dust | 13.6.06 (presented 31.5.06) | 25.9.08 | No | |
Beyond petrol sniffing: renewing hope for Indigenous communities | 20.6.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Community Affairs Standing |
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Funding and operation of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement | 8.2.07 | - | No | |
National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2007 [Provisions] | 18.6.07 | - | No | |
National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical and Other Benefits—Cost Recovery) Bill 2008 | 26.8.08 | - | No | |
Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Dental Services) Bill 2007 [Provisions] | 10.9.07 (presented 5.9.07) | - | No | |
Highway to health: better access for rural, regional and remote patients | 20.9.07 | - | No | |
A decent quality of life—Inquiry into the cost of living pressures on older Australians | 20.3.08 | 15.9.08 (presented 5.9.08) | No | |
Alcohol Toll Reduction Bill 2007 [2008] | 18.6.08 | - | No | |
A matter relating to the PET Review of 2000 | 26.6.08 | 13.11.08 | No | |
Towards recovery: Mental health services in Australia | 25.9.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Building trust: Supporting families through disability trusts | 16.10.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation Amendment (Schooling Requirements) Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 13.11.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Government expenditure on Indigenous affairs and social services in the Northern Territory | 4.12.08 | Not required | - | |
Corporations and Financial Services (Joint Statutory) |
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Report on the regulations and ASIC policy statements made under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001 | 23.10.02 | *(interim) | No | |
Review of the Managed Investments Act 1998 | 12.12.02 | *(interim) | No | |
Inquiry into Regulation 7.1.29 in Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (No. 3), Statutory Rules 2003 No. 85 | 26.6.03 | *(interim) | No | |
Money matters in the bush: Inquiry into the level of banking and financial services in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia | 10.2.04 (presented 15.1.04) | *(interim) | No | |
Report on the ATM fee structure | 10.2.04 (presented 15.1.04) | *(interim) | No | |
Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003 (Batch 6); Draft Regulations: Corporations Amendment Regulations 2003/04 (Batch 7); and Draft Regulations: Corporations Amendment Regulations 2004 (Batch 8) | 24.3.04 | *(interim) | No | |
Corporations Amendment Regulations 7.1.29A, 7.1.35A and 7.1.40(h) | 15.6.04 | *(interim) | No | |
Property investment – Safe as houses? | 23.6.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 7.2.06 (presented 19.12.05) | *(interim) | No | |
Corporate responsibility: Managing risk and creating value | 21.6.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 16.8.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Corporations Amendment (Takeovers) Bill 2006 [Exposure Draft] | 26.2.07 (presented 23.2.07) | - | No | |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 1.3.07 | - | No | |
Corporations Amendment (Insolvency) Bill 2007 [Exposure draft]; Corporations and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Amendment Regulations 2007 [Exposure draft] | 29.3.07 | - | No | |
Corporations Legislation Amendment (Simpler Regulatory System) Bill 2007 and related bills | 19.6.07 | - | No | |
The structure and operation of the superannuation industry | 7.8.07 | - | No | |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 9.8.07 | - | No | |
Better shareholders – better company—Shareholder engagement and participation in Australia | 24.6.08 | - | No | |
Statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 2.9.08 (tabled in the HoR 1.9.08) | Not required | - | |
Opportunity not opportunism: improving conduct in Australian franchising | 2.12.08 (tabled in the HoR 1.12.08) | - | Time not expired | |
Corporations and Securities (Joint Statutory) |
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Report on aspects of the regulation of proprietary companies | 8.3.01 | *(interim) | No | |
Economics Legislation |
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Annual reports (No. 1 of 2006) | 30.3.06 | *(interim) | No | |
Economics References |
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Consenting adults deficits and household debt—Links between Australia’s current account deficit, the demand for imported goods and household debt | 13.10.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Economics Standing |
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Private equity investment in Australia | 10.9.07 (presented 20.8.07) | - | No | |
Reserve Bank Amendment (Enhanced Independence) Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 16.6.08 (presented 11.6.08) | - | No | |
Tax Laws Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2008 | 24.6.08 | - | No | |
Excise Legislation Amendment (Condensate) Bill 2008 and the Excise Tariff Amendment (Condensate) Bill 2008 | 27.8.08 | - | No | |
Unit Pricing (Easy comparison of grocery prices) Bill 2008 | 1.9.08 | - | No | |
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Fair Bank and Credit Card Fees) Amendment Bill 2008 | 16.9.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Offshore Petroleum Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Bill 2008 [Provisions], Offshore Petroleum (Annual Fees) Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Bill 2008 [Provisions], Offshore Petroleum (Registration Fees) Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Bill 2008 [Provisions] and Offshore Petroleum (Safety Levies) Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 23.9.08 | - | Time not expired | |
National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) Bill 2008 and the National Fuelwatch (Empowering Consumers) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008 | 14.10.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Lost in space? Setting a new direction for Australia’s space science and industry sector | 12.11.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Australia’s mandatory Last Resort Home Warranty Insurance scheme | 13.11.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Temporary Residents’ Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 and the Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 24.11.08 (presented 18.11.08) | - | Time not expired | |
Corporations Amendment (Short Selling) Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 27.11.08 | - | Time not expired | |
The need, scope and content of a definition of unconscionable conduct for the purposes of Part IVA of the Trade Practices Act 1974 | 3.12.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Matters relating to the gas explosion at Varanus Island, Western Australia | 3.12.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Disclosure regimes for charities and not-for-profit organisations | 4.12.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Standing |
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Social Security Legislation Amendment (Employment Services Reform) Bill 2008 [Provisions] | 24.11.08 | - | Time not expired | |
Building and Construction Industry (Restoring Workplace Rights) Bill 2008 | 1.12.08 (presented 28.11.08) | - | Time not expired | |
Allegations of academic bias in universities and schools | 4.12.08 | Not required | - | |
Electoral Matters (Joint Standing) |
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Civics and electoral education | 18.6.07 | 10.11.08 (interim) | No | |
Review of certain aspects of the administration of the Australian Electoral Commission | 17.9.07 | 25.9.08 | No | |
Advisory report on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Political Donations and Other Measures) Bill 2008 | 10.11.08 (tabled in the HoR 23.10.08) | - | Time not expired | |
Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References |
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Bridging the skills divide | 24.11.03 (presented 6.11.03) | *(interim) | No | |
Indigenous education funding – Final report | 22.6.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Student income support | 23.6.05 | *(interim) | No | |
Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Standing |
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Workforce challenges in the transport industry | 9.8.07 | - | No | |
Quality of school education | 13.9.07 | - | No | |
Environment, Communications and the Arts Standing | ||||
The effectiveness of th |