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

At the request of Senator Trood, I move:

(1)

That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on the Reform of the Australian Federation, be appointed to:

(a)

inquire into and report by 17 November 2010 on key issues and priorities for the reform of relations between the three levels of government within the Australian federation; and

(b)

explore a possible agenda for national reform and to consider ways it can best be implemented in relation to, but not exclusively, the following matters:

(i)

the distribution of constitutional powers and responsibilities between the Commonwealth and the states (including territories),

(ii)

financial relations between federal, state and local governments,

(iii)

possible constitutional amendment, including the recognition of local government,

(iv)

processes, including the Council of Australian Governments, and the referral of powers and procedures for enhancing cooperation between the various levels of Australian government, and

(v)

strategies for strengthening Australia’s regions and the delivery of services through regional development committees and regional grant programs.

(2)

That the committee consist of 6 senators, 2 nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 3 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and 1 nominated by any minority group or groups or independent senator or independent senators.

(3)

That:

(a)

participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and minority groups and independent senators;

(b)

participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee; and

(c)

a participating member shall be taken to be a member of the committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.

(4)

That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

(5)

That the committee elect as chair one of the members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

(6)

That the committee elect a Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee, and at anytime when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting.

(7)

That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, has a casting vote.

(8)

That 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee.

(9)

That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine.

(10)

That 2 members of a subcommittee form a quorum of that subcommittee.

(11)

That the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings, the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

(12)

That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

(13)

That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such documents and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

Question agreed to.