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

I present the 16th 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—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 16 OF 2011

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 9 November 2011 at 7.16 pm.

2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—

(a)   the provisions of Building and Construction Industry Improvement Amendment (Transition to Fair Work) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 29 February 2012 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b)   the provisions of the Defence Trade Controls Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 April 2012 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c)   the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Emergency Listings) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 February 2012 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d)   the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Protecting Australia's Water Resources) Bill 2011 be referred immediately to the Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 27 February 2012 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e)   the provisions of the following bills be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 March 2012:

Petroleum Resource Rent Tax Assessment Amendment Bill 2011

Tax Laws Amendment (Stronger, Fairer, Simpler and Other Measures) Bill 2011

Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment Bill 2011 Minerals Resource Rent Tax (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011

Minerals Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-General) Bill 2011 Minerals Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-Customs) Bill 2011 Minerals Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-Excise) Bill 2011

Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-General) Bill 2011 Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-Customs) Bill 2011 Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (Imposition-Excise) Bill 2011

(see appendix 5 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 deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

(Anne McEwen)

Chair

10 November 2011

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Building and Construction Industry Improvement Amendment (Transition to Fair Work) Bill 2011

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

This Bill has differences to Bills of a similar nature that were presented in the last Parliament and the industrial relations environment has also changed.

It is vital that this Bill be subjected to the appropriate scrutiny to ensure the best result for employees and employers in the building and construction sector.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

(signed)

Senator Kroger

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Defence Trade Controls Bill 2011

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

To allow further investigation into issues of concern within the defence industry Possible submissions or evidence from:

Australian Industry Defence Network The 'Primes'

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

January - March 2012

Possible reporting date:

April 2012

(signed)

Senator Kroger

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member

Appendix 3

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill:

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Emergency Listings) Bill 2011

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

This Bill provides a much needed process of emergency listings under the EBPC Act for threatened species and ecological communities where they are at risk from a significant and imminent threat.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Peak and local environmental non government organisations, the scientific community (particularly Australian biodiversity experts), industry and regulators.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

7 February 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:

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Protecting Australia's Water Resources) Bill 2011

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

This bill proposes to address a number of issues raised by the community in the current Senate Standing Committees on Rural Affairs and Transport (RAT) (References committee) inquiry into the impact of mining coal seam gas on the management of the Murray-Darling Basin (which is due to report by end 30 November 2011). As such it would seem appropriate that this bill be considered by the RAT Legislative committee (given significant overlap in membership of the two committees).

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Organisations, groups and individuals who are likely to have an interest in this bill include members of farming communities, the agricultural sector, mining and coal seam gas sector, state and federal regulators - all of which have participated in the recent Senate Standing Committees on Rural Affairs and Transport (RAT) (References committee) inquiry into the management of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Standing Committees on Rural Affairs and Transport - Legislation Committee.

Possible hearing date(s):

Hearings may not be needed given the extensive hearings undertaken by the Senate Standing Committees on Rural Affairs and Transport (References committee), however written submissions on this Bill which proposes to address a lot of the issues raised in the inquiry would be of assistance.

Possible reporting date:

27 February 2012

(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:

Minerals Resource Rent Tax Bill 2011 & related bills

Reasons for referral/ principal issues for consideration: lack of certainty on revenue, production volume and commodity price assumptions, complex legislation, unfair impact on small miners, preferential treatment of big three mining companies, process by which tax designed in secret with big three miners.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Committee to which bill is to be referred:

Senate Economics

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date:

March 2012

(signed)

Senator Kroger

Whip / Selection of Bills Committee member