John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pursuant to standing order 38, I present two reports of the Selection of Bills Committee listed on page 7 today’s Order of Business, which were presented to the President since the Senate last sat. In accordance with the terms of the standing orders, the publication of the documents was authorised.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the reports of the Selection of Bills Committee be adopted.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the following amendment to the Selection of Bills Committee report. At the end of the motion add:

but, in respect of the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2009 and two related bills:

(a)      the reference of the bills to the Economics Legislation Committee be transferred to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 5 August 2009; and

(b)      in considering this matter, the Community Affairs Legislation Committee may consider the relevant evidence and records of the Economics Legislation Committee.

Just to clarify the points, the amendment indicates that we wish the bills to be considered by the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee with a reporting date of 5 August this year. That also incorporates the brief inquiry by the Senate Economics Legislation Committee; that those findings be examined by the committee also and that the economics committee does not report their findings as they are transferred to the community affairs committee.

The technical wording of the amendment has been circulated. The main reason we are suggesting this is that this is a very complex suite of bills. It has raised a lot of community concern and it was the coalition’s wish for these bills to be referred to the community affairs committee with the later reporting date. The bills were caught up in the catch-all notice of motion that brought all budget measure bills an opportunity to be referred to the economics committee and reported upon. The spirit of this particular motion was caught up in that and we did not intend for that to take place. I think the manager of government business acknowledged that was the case. We wish this to be dealt with at a more opportune time and over a longer period of time. Then it can be dealt with quite effectively.

There was media speculation last week about the bills being examined briefly, on one day, during the one week that the Senate was not sitting either through estimates or through the regular sitting schedule. Our senators did not believe this was an appropriate way to deal with these bills. We made that known at the Selection of Bills Committee meeting on Thursday the week before the bills were considered by the economics committee.

There are a variety of reasons as to why these bills need to be considered by the community affairs committee, none less than by the responsible minister who has the portfolio assignation for these bills. We feel as though the matters have not been properly canvassed. Through the estimates process, questions were asked by senators in relation to these bills and, as of yet, answers have not been forthcoming in relation to these bills. Certainly, of last week those answers were not available. We feel it is only fit and proper that answers to estimates questions do form part of this inquiry, because they can assist the committee in its deliberations.

Also, figures keep changing. We were informed that 25,000 Australians would drop private cover as a result of this measure. It appears that during estimates it became clear that some 40,000 may drop their cover. It is important to get all the information on the table prior to any committee considering these important matters. We are also concerned that public hospital admissions will increase and, again, it is important to have full examination of all these issues by the appropriate committee to determine that the public hospital system will not come under a lot of undue stress and pressure.

We just feel that the government is rushing this through unnecessarily. The start-up date for these measures does not come into effect until 2010. The idea of referring all matters in relation to the budget and appropriations to the economics committee was for those measures that started on 1 July 2009. These bills do not fall into that category, hence there is no urgency. So it is our strong argument, and our strong position, that these bills be referred to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for report by 5 August.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Looking at the numbers around this place, the government recognise it does not have them in respect of this motion; we submit it to the will of the Senate. The government are keen to get its budget bills through during this fortnight. That was the premise for us to agree to the original motion—they would be available for debate. Unfortunately, that is not going to be the case in this instance. Be that as it may, we are still keen to get our budget bills through and the bill that we are dealing with now as soon as possible. I think 5 August has been suggested as a committee date. If that bill can then be available as early as possible after that date for parliament to deal with, the government would be appreciative of that.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Parry be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that the motion as amended be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to have the reports incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 7 OF 2009

(1)

The committee met in private session on Thursday, 4 June 2009 at 7 pm to consider proposals relating to the order of 14 May 2009 pertaining to the referral of certain budget-related bills to committees (“the order of 14 May 2009”).

(2)

The committee agreed to reconsider the Higher Education Support Amendment (2009 Budget Measures) Bill 2009 and resolved to recommend that the bill be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 July 2009 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons that the bill be referred on different terms) .

The committee recommends accordingly and reports to the President.

(3)

The committee considered a proposal to not refer the following bills to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee but draws the committee’s attention to paragraph (4) of the order of 14 May 2009:

• Family Assistance Amendment (Further 2008 Budget Measures) Bill 2009
• Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2009.

                (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons that the bills not be referred)

       The committee makes no further recommendation in respect of the bills.

(4)

The committee also reconsidered a proposal relating to the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2009 and two related bills. The committee noted the Opposition members of the committee prefer a reporting date of 5 August 2009 but as no agreement could be reached the bills continue to stand referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 16 June 2009 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons that the bills be referred on different terms).

(5)

The committee notes that the following bills stand referred to committees to report by 16 June 2009, in accordance with the order of 14 May 2009:

• Guarantee of State and Territory Borrowing Appropriation Bill 2009, to the Economics Legislation Committee; and
• Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Bill 2009, to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

(Kerry O’Brien)

Chair

4 June 2009

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal  - Bill to not be referred or referred on different terms

Name of bill:

Higher Education Support Amendment (2009 Budget Measures) Bill 2009

Bill to be referred: Yes

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee

Proposed reporting date: 22 July 2009

Reason for differing terms:

Schedule 1, Item 5 of bill to be examined specifically.

Bill start date is 1 January 2010 – not ‘urgent’.

(signed)

Stephen Parry

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal  - Bill to not be referred or referred on different terms

Name of bill:

Family Assistance Amendment (Further 2008 Budget Measures) Bill 2009

Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2009

Bill to be referred: No

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Proposed hearing date:

Reason for differing terms:

(signed)

Stephen Parry

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal  - Bill to not be referred or referred on different terms

Name of bill:

Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2009

Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2009

Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Bill 2009

Bill to be referred: Yes

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Community Affairs

Proposed hearing date:

5 August 2009

Reason for differing terms:

According to the Government’s announcement, this package does not commence until 1 July 2010 therefore it is not essential for consideration before 1 July 2009.

(signed)

Stephen Parry

Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member