Senate debates
Thursday, 15 May 2014
Committees
Selection of Bills Committee; Report
11:52 am
Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I present the 5th report of 2014 of the Selection of Bills Committee and seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.
Leave granted.
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
REPORT NO. 5 OF 2014
1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 14 May 2014 at 7.20 pm.
2. The committee resolved to recommend—That—
(a) contingent upon its introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (Abolition) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 July 2014 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(b) contingent upon its introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (Repeal) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 July 2014 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(c) the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 23 June 2014 (see appendices 3, 4 and 5 for statement of reasons for referral);
(d) contingent upon its introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the Health Workforce Australia (Abolition) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 14 July 2014 (see appendix 6 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(e) contingent upon its introduction in the Senate, the Recognition of Foreign Marriages Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 3 September 2014 (see appendix 7 for a statement of reasons for referral);
(f) the provisions of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 8 July 2014 (see appendix 8 for a statement of reasons for referral); and
(g) the provisions of the Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Income Tax Rates Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Family Trust Distribution Tax (Primary Liability) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Fringe Benefits Tax Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Income Tax (Bearer Debentures) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Income Tax (First Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Income Tax (TFN Withholding Tax (ESS)) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Superannuation (Excess Non-concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Superannuation (Excess Untaxed Roll-over Amounts Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 1) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 2) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Tax Laws Amendment (Interest on Non-Resident Trust Distributions) (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014, Tax Laws Amendment (Untainting Tax) (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014 and the Trust Recoupment Tax Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 16 June 2014 (see appendix 9 for a statement of reasons for referral).
3. The committee resolved to recommend—That the following bills not be referred to committees:
Export Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Amendment Bill 2014
Export Inspection (Service Charge) Amendment Bill 2014
Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2014
Railway Agreement (Western Australia) Amendment Bill 2014
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Health Card and Other Measures) Bill 2014
Student Identifiers Bill 2014
Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Mental Health and Other Measures) Bill 2014.
The committee recommends accordingly.
4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:
Corporations Amendment (Simple Corporate Bonds and Other Measures) Bill 2014
Private Health Insurance Amendment (GP Services) Bill 2014
Save Our Sharks Bill 2014.
APPENDIX 1
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Australian National Preventive Health Agency (Abolition) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To allow for full investigation of the impact on preventive health activity and health outcomes due to the abolition of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Public Health Association of Australia, National Heart Foundation of Australia, Professor Rob Moodie, Cancer Council of Australia, National Alliance for Action on Alcohol, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, Professor Paul Zimmet, Consumers Health Forum of Australia, Obesity Policy Coalition.
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
To be determined by the Committee
Possible reporting date:
14 July 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
APPENDIX 2
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Energy Efficiency Opportunities (Repeal) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To scrutinise the impact of the abolition of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) Program on stakeholders including representatives of the industries with obligations under the program; with particular reference to the educative function the EEO has played in helping them reduce energy consumption.
To provide the Department of Industry the opportunity to present evidence of the success of the EEO program in driving down both the energy costs of Australian Industry and carbon emissions that are harmful to the environment.
To scrutinise the impact of the abolition of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) Program on the Government's commitment to a 5 per cent emission reduction target by 2020.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
The Department of Industry, Representatives of the industries with obligations under the program, Non-Government organisations involved in the campaign to reduce carbon emissions.
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Possible reporting date:
14 July 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
APPENDIX 3
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement
Implementation) Bill 2014
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
The Coalition Government is committed to establishing a One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals. It will for the first time, streamline environmental assessments and approvals by removing duplication between the Australian Government and States and Territories.
The Committee will review the Bills and report to the Senate on:
Possible submissions or evidence from:
The Department of Industry, Representatives of the industries with obligations under the program, Non-Government organisations involved in the campaign to reduce carbon emissions.
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
Association of Mining and Exploration Companies
Planning Institute of Australia
Indigenous Advisory Council Department of the Environment
Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
Possible hearing date(s):
To be determined by the Committee
Possible reporting date:
23 June 2014
(signed)
Senator Fifield
APPENDIX 4
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To gather evidence on the likely or potential impacts of delegating environmental approval powers to state and territory governments.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Environmental NGOs
Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development
Department of the Environment
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
To be determined by the Committee
Possible reporting date:
23 June 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
APPENDIX 5
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To gather evidence on the potential impacts of a cost-recovery model on environmental assessment and approval processes, including: budgetary impact; cost impacts for proponents; and impacts on process timing.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Environmental NGOs
Business Groups
Department of the Environment
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
To be determined by the Committee
Possible reporting date:
23 June 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
APPENDIX 6
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Health Workforce Australia (Abolition) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
• To ensure adequate assessment of the impact of the bill and the abolition of Health Workforce Australia.
• To gather evidence and provide scrutiny of the impacts of the bill and the abolition of Health Workforce Australia.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Health Workforce Australia
Australian Medical Association Australian Medical Council
National Rural Health Alliance Inc Australian Medicare Local Alliance
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Possible reporting date:
14 July 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
APPENDIX 7
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Recognition of Foreign Marriages BM 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
The benefits of recognising the legal foreign marriages of same-sex couples and the impact of marriage equality in other countries, with particular reference to:
a) the social and economic benefits of recognising foreign same-sex marriages,
b) the social, cultural and economic impact of marriage equality in foreign countries,
c) the impact on religious communities and religious freedoms of marriage equality in foreign countries.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Australian Human Rights Commission
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
To be determined by the Committee
Possible reporting date:
03 September 2014
(signed)
Senator Hanson-Young
APPENDIX 8
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
To ensure a thorough and complete assessment of its potential impact on occupational health and safety coverage for workers.
Possible submissions or evidence from:
Employers and employees covered by the Comcare scheme, employee representative organisations and other bodies associated with the operation of the Comcare scheme.
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Education and Employment Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Possible reporting date:
08 July 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
APPENDIX 9
SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE
Proposal to refer a bill to a committee:
Name of bill:
Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Income Tax Rates Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Family Trust Distribution Tax (Primary Liability) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Fringe Benefits Tax Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Income Tax (Bearer Debentures) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014 Income Tax (First
Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Income Tax (TFN Withholding Tax (ESS)) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair
Levy) Bill 2014
Superannuation (Excess Non-concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill
2014
Superannuation (Excess Untaxed Roll-over Amounts Tax) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill
2014
Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 1) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill
2014
Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 2) Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill
2014
Tax Laws Amendment (Interest on Non-Resident Trust Distributions) (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Tax Laws Amendment (Untainting Tax) (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Trust Recoupment Tax Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014
Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:
• Scrutiny of tax design and integrity issues
Possible submissions or evidence from:
• Tax practitioner bodies (e.g. Tax Institute, KPMG)
• Academics
• Other stakeholders
Committee to which bill is to be referred:
Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Possible hearing date(s):
Possible reporting date:
16 June 2014
(signed)
Senator McEwan
Whip/Selection of Bills Committee Member
I move:
That the report be adopted.
Question agreed to.