John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I give notice that, on the next sitting day, I will withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name relating to the disallowance of Financial Management and Accountability Amendment (2014 Measures No. 6) Regulation 2014. I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The committee has been making inquiries about the authority of expenditure program specified by regulation under section 32B of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997. Based on information received from the minister, the committee has concluded its examination of the regulation. The committee's report on this matter is contained in Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 15 of 2014.

The following notices were presented—

Senator O’Sullivan to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the support that the Queensland Government is giving to the coal industry in that State;

(b) acknowledges that this support has created thousands of employment opportunities, which in turn has greatly nourished the economies of the towns and communities associated with that industry; and

(c) further notes the balance that the Queensland Government is achieving between these investments and significantly important environmental protections.

Senator Rhiannon to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Federal Government has provided $1.5 billion in funding for the WestConnex motorway, plus an additional $2 billion in the form a concessional loan; and that this funding was awarded despite the lack of a detailed business case, including the assumptions behind the project’s cost-benefit analysis, being made available to Infrastructure Australia or the public,

(ii) the WestConnex motorway, if built, will negatively impact residents and commuters across Sydney by increasing traffic congestion and air pollution; and the main beneficiaries of the project will be private businesses who will profit from new tolls while the public wears the financial risk, and

(iii) the Federal Government has not spent a single dollar on public transport projects in Sydney; and

(b) calls on the Federal and NSW Governments to abandon their plans to construct the WestConnex motorway and commit to building public transport in Sydney to minimise congestion, improve environmental sustainability and boost productivity.

Senator Carr to move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, no later than 3.30 pm on Monday, 24 November 2014, the report of the investigation by Transfield Services of allegations regarding the treatment of asylum seekers in the Manus Island regional processing centre, as referred to in a statement released by the Minister’s office on 3 November 2014.

Senator Ludlam to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) polling consistently shows that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) are the most trusted media outlets in Australia and two of the most trusted organisations of any nature,

(ii) the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr Abbott, stated categorically before the 2013 federal election that there would be ‘no cuts to the ABC or SBS’, and

(iii) on 1September 2014, the Minister for Communications refused an order of the Senate to lay on the table a copy of Mr Peter Lewis’ efficiency review into the ABC and SBS; and

(b) condemns the Abbott Government’s:

(i) unjustified budget cuts to the ABC and SBS, and

(ii) deception of the Australian public in promising no cuts to the nation’s public broadcasters.

Senator Wong to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the role of the Australian Electoral Commissioner (the Commissioner) is essential to the performance, transparency and accountability of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC),

(ii) the need to maintain community confidence in the ability of the AEC to carry out its statutory responsibilities, including the upcoming redistributions in Western Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory,

(iii) the Special Minister of State advised the public that the previous Commissioner, Mr Ed Killesteyn PSM, tendered his resignation to the Governor-General on 21 February 2014,

(iv) the position of Commissioner has formally been vacant since the resignation of Mr Killesteyn took effect on 26 June 2014,

(v) the statement of the Special Minister of State to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee at the 2013-14 additional estimates on 25 February 2014 that ‘The intention is to have someone in place by about 4 July if humanly possible’,

(vi) the position of non-judicial member of the AEC has been vacant since the resignation of the Australian Statistician, Mr Brian Pink, on 12 January 2014, and

(vii) the position of Australian Electoral Officer is also vacant in two states and one territory; and

(b) calls on the Special Minister of State to take immediate steps to ensure the appointment, as a matter of priority, of suitably qualified and experienced people to the roles of:

(i) Australian Electoral Commissioner;

(ii) non-judicial member of the Australian Electoral Commission, and

(iii) Australian Electoral Officer in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Senator Rhiannon to move:

That—

(a) the following matter be referred to the Education and Employment References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 August 2015:

The operation, regulation and funding of private vocational education and training (VET) providers in Australia, including:

(i) the access private VET providers have to Commonwealth and state public funding,

(ii) the cost of education at private VET providers,

(iii) the regulatory regime private VET providers operate within,

(iv) the operation of VET-FEE-HELP,

(v) the quality of education provided by private VET providers, volume of learning requirements and graduate outcomes,

(vi) marketing and promotional techniques employed by private VET providers and education brokers both domestic and international,

(vii) any incidents or allegations of non-compliance with regulation and funding arrangements at private VET providers,

(viii) political donations made by private VET providers,

(ix) international comparisons to the Australian funding and regulatory regime,

(x) the operation, regulation and funding of private VET providers specifically offering courses in aged care and early childhood education and their labour market outcomes, and

(xi) any related matters; and

(b) the committee will table interim reports to the Senate on 2 March 2015 and 15 June 2015.

Senator Fifield to move:

That the proposed amendments to the Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013 circulated by the Palmer United Party on sheet 7618 be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 November 2014.

Senator Milne to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the Free Trade memorandum of understanding signed between Australia and China, and

(ii) that climate change, with its consequent global food insecurity, is driving governments to acquire land and water outside their own borders as sources of food supply; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) create a register of foreign ownership of agricultural land and water assets to continuously track overseas purchases,

(ii) lower the threshold from $248 million to $5 million for consideration of the national interest by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for purchases of agricultural land and water by a foreign private entity,

(iii) legislate a stronger national interest test to be applied by the FIRB for purchases of agricultural land and water resources, and

(iv) prohibit the purchase of agricultural land and water by wholly-owned subsidiaries of foreign governments.

Senator Conroy to move:

That the Senate calls on the Abbott Government to immediately request that the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal reconsider the Government’s pay offer, which cuts the real pay and conditions of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, for the following reasons—the original offer:

(a) was unfair and wrong, particularly in light of the 2014-15 Budget allocating funding for an above-inflation pay rise for ADF personnel;

(b) is affecting morale and is likely to affect recruitment;

(c) has caused a backlash amongst ADF servicemen and women, their families, and the wider community; and

(d) should be changed to ensure a fair deal for our ADF personnel.

Senator Siewert to move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges:

(i) that being understood is essential in accessing justice,

(ii) the importance of interpreting services in the justice system, and

(iii) the unacceptable rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration;

(b) notes:

(i) the Kimberley Interpreting Service (KIS) has around 100 interpreters who speak over 30 Indigenous languages,

(ii) that in many Western Australia communities English is not the first language, and

(iii) since 2006 KIS has been funded through a state and federal government partnership which ended in June 2014, and the Western Australian Government has said it was not in a position to provide any more funding; and

(c) calls on the Commonwealth Government to work with the Western Australian Government to ensure ongoing funding for essential interpreting services.