Senate debates
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Committees
Selection of Bills Committee; Report
11:52 am
Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I present the 9th report of 2011 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—
REPORT NO. 9 of 2011
1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 6 July 2011 at 7.23 pm.
2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—
(a) the Bankruptcy Amendment (Exceptional Circumstances Exit Package) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 21 September 2011 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(b) the Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Fees) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 September 2011 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(c) the Government Advertising (Accountability) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 21 September 2011 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(d) the Public Service Amendment (Payments in Special Circumstances) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 16 August 2011 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(e) the provisions of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report on Schedule 3 of the bill by 15 September 2011 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral); and
(f) the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Bill 2011 and the Work Health and Safety (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 August 2011 (see appendix 6 for a statement of reasons for referral).
3. The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:
The committee recommends accordingly.
4. The committee considered the Interactive Gambling and Broadcasting Amendment (Online Transactions and Other Measures) Bill 2011 and noted that, pursuant to the resolution of appointment of the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform, the bill had been referred to that committee for inquiry and report.
5. The committee considered the Migration Amendment (Declared Countries) Bill 2011 and noted that the bill was discharged from the Notice Paper on 5 July 2011.
6. The committee considered the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2011 and noted that the bill had been passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on 6 July 2011.
7. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:
Chair
7 July 2011
APPENDIX 1
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of Bill:
Bankruptcy Amendment (Exceptional Circumstances Exit Package) Bill 2011
Possible submissions or evidence from:
South Australian Farmers Federation
NSW Farmers Federation
Mr Dean Brown - South Australian Government's special adviser on drought * Mr Chris Byrne - Riverland Winegrape Growers Association
The Hon Mr Robert Brokenshire IVILC
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Committee to which Bill is to be referred:
Economics Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
August / September 2011
Possible reporting date:
21 September 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 2
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of Bill:
Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Fees) Bill 2011
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Westpac
St George
CHOICE
Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia Mortgage Choice
Aussie Home Loans
Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc Credit Union Australia
Abacus - Australian Mutuals Limited ME Bank
Yellow Brick Road Wealth Management Heritage Building Society
Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Finance Brokers Association of Australia Australian Bankers Association
Committee to which Bill is to be referred:
Economics Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
July/ August 2011
Possible reporting date:
September 14 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 3
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMIT T EE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of Bill:
Government Advertising (Accountability) Bill 2011
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Department of Finance and Deregulation
Auditor-General, Mr Ian McPhee
Mr Graeme Orr - Senior Lecturer, Griffith University
Professor Charles Sampford - Director, Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, Griffith University
Centre for Democratic Institutions, ANU * The Democratic Project
Committee to which Bill is to be referred:
Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s): August / September 2011
Possible reporting date: 21 September 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 4
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of Bill:
Public Service Amendment (Payments in Special Circumstances) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
In undertaking the inquiry, the Committee should consider:
1. The lack of proper compensation scheme for claimants who have been disadvantaged as a result of administrative errors by Government agencies not included under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA)
2. The recommendations of the Commonwealth Ombudsman in the Ombudsman's Report No 4 of 2010 in relation to discretionary payments of compensation
3. The losses caused to claimants because of administrative errors within Government agencies not covered by the CDDA scheme
4. The limited ability for claimants to seek compensation if the Government agency in question is not covered by the CDDA scheme
5. The limitations of discretionary payments in the Public Service Act 1999
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Comcare
Department of Finance and Deregulation
Commonwealth Ombudsman
Mr Barry Crush
Mr Peter Allen of Allen & Associates, Barristers and Solicitors Australian Public Service Commission
Committee to which the bill is to be referred:
Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration (Legislation)
Possible hearing date(s):
June/July 2011
Possible reporting date:
16 August 2011
(signed)
Senator Siewert
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 5
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of bill:
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
Review Schedule 3 - DSP Impairment tables
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Centrelink
Department of Veterans Affairs
Review of Impairment Tables advisory committee - Jenny Pearson
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations - Graham Douglas-Meyer National Disability Services - Ken Baker
Mental Health Council of Australia - Frank Quinlan
Australian Council of Social Services - Peter Davidson
Royal Australasian College of Physicians - Peter Wilkins
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists - Dr Martin Nothling
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Possible reporting date:
Thursday 15 September
(signed)
Senator McEwen
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member
APPENDIX 6
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee
Name of bill:
Work Health and Safety Bill 2011
Work Health and Safety (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2011
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
The Work Health Safety Bill 2011 and Work Health and Safety (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2011 give effect to the Government's obligations under the 2008 COAG Inter-Governmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in OHS (IGA) to implement nationally harmonised OHS laws.
The Bills make important reforms to the regulation of occupational health and safety in the Commonwealth. Specifically, they will repeal the current Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 and replace it with model provisions developed by Safe Work Australia and agreed by Workplace Relations Ministers' Council. There will also be provisions specific to the Commonwealth to ensure that the legislation interacts appropriately with existing Commonwealth laws.
The Bills have been subject to extensive consultation at a national level, including with employer and employee organisations and state and territory governments. They are informed by the outcomes of an independent expert review which concluded in 2008 and also reflect the stakeholder comments made on an exposure draft released in May 2011 for a three week period.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Interested stakeholders would include entities to be covered by the proposed legislation, as well as workers and their representatives.
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
July/ August
Possible reporting date:
26 August 2011.
(signed)
Senator McEwen
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee member