Senate debates

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Committees

Selection of Bills Committee; Report

11:45 am

Photo of David BushbyDavid Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I present the fifth report of 2018 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 5 OF 2018

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 9 May 2018 at 7.25 pm.

2. The committee recommends that—

(a) the Criminal Code and Other Legislation Amendment (Removing Commonwealth Restrictions on Cannabis) Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 17 August 2018 (see appendix 1 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(b) contingent upon introduction in the Senate, the provisions of the Education and Other Legislation Amendment (VET Student Loan Debt Separation) Bill 2018and Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2018 (see appendix 2 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(c) the provisions of the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other Measures) Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 June 2018 (see appendix 3 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(d) contingent upon introduction in the House of Representatives, the provisions of the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2018 and National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2018 (see appendix 4 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(e) the provisions of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Amendment Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 June 2018 (see appendix 5 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(f) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 4) Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 June 2018 (see appendix 6 for a statement of reasons for referral);

(g) the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Personal Income Tax Plan) Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 18 June 2018 (see appendix 7 for a statement of reasons for referral); and

(h) the provisions of the Water Amendment Bill 2018 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 June 2018 (see appendix 8 for a statement of reasons for referral).

3. The committee recommends that the following bills not be referred to committees:

                                                  4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

                                                                      (David Bushby) Chair

                                                                      10 May 2018

                                                                      Appendix 1

                                                                      SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                      Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                      Name of bill: Criminal Code and Other Legislation (Removing Commonwealth Restrictions on Cannabis) Bill 2018

                                                                      Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

                                                                      As the first legislation to propose the removal of Commonwealth restrictions on cannabis, there is a case to examine: the merits of legalisation, law enforcement issues, extradition issues, constitutionality, treaty issues, trade rule issues, Commonwealth-state issues, and budget issues.

                                                                      Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                      Cannabis suppliers and regulators in jurisdictions that have legalised cannabis; cannabis users; law enforcement bodies; experts in extradition, constitutional and treaty and trade rule issues; representatives of the poppy industry; drug/health experts; state/ territory governments; and revenue authorities.

                                                                      Committee to which bill is to be referred: Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee

                                                                      Possible hearing date(s): Week of 2 July 2018 or week of 6 August 2018

                                                                      Possible reporting date: 10 September 2018

                                                                      Appendix 2

                                                                      SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                      Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                      Name of bill(s): Education and Other Legislation Amendment (VET Student Loan Debt Separation) Bill 2018

                                                                      Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2018

                                                                      Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise the Government's policy case

                                                                      Unpack any unintended consequences

                                                                      Explore whether this change could lead to new policy initiatives in terms of VET student loans

                                                                      Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                      TAFE Directors Australia

                                                                      Department of Education and Training

                                                                      Private education and training peak bodies

                                                                      Committee to which bill is to be referred: Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee

                                                                      Possible hearing date(s): To be determined by the committee

                                                                      Possible reporting date: 15 June 2018

                                                                      Senator Anne Urquhart

                                                                      Appendix 3

                                                                      SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                      Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                      Name of bill: Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other Measures) Bill 2018

                                                                      Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: The bill makes significant amendments to various areas of intellectual property

                                                                      Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                            Committee to which bill is to be referred: Senate Economics Legislation Committee

                                                                            Possible hearing date(s):

                                                                            Possible reporting date: 22 June 2018

                                                                            Senator Rachel Siewert

                                                                            Appendix 4

                                                                            SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                            Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                            Name of bill: National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2018

                                                                            National Redress Scheme for institutional Child Sexual Abuse (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018

                                                                            Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: the differences between these bills and the Commonwealth Redress Scheme bills

                                                                            Possible submissions or evidence from: Blue Knot Foundation, Bravehearts, Knowmore, CLAN, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, Law Council of Australia, Tuart Place, Sexual Assault Support Service

                                                                            Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs Legislation Committee

                                                                            Possible hearing date(s):

                                                                            Possible reporting date: 18 June 2018

                                                                            Senator Rachel Siewert

                                                                            SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                            Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                            Name of bill: National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2018

                                                                            Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

                                                                                    Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                                                                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: 12 June 2018

                                                                                                                Senator Anne Urquhart

                                                                                                                Appendix 5

                                                                                                                SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                                                Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                                                Name of bill: Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Amendment Bill 2018

                                                                                                                Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: To investigate the amendments proposed relating to the operation of the levy payer register; to identify any unintended consequences of the amendments.

                                                                                                                Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                                                                                                  Committee to which bill is to be referred: Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

                                                                                                                                                  Possible hearing date(s): To be determined by the Committee

                                                                                                                                                  Possible reporting date: 13 June 2018

                                                                                                                                                  Senator Anne Urquhart

                                                                                                                                                  Appendix 6

                                                                                                                                                  SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                                                                                  Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                                                                                  Name of bill: Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 4) Bill 2018

                                                                                                                                                  Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Detailed scrutiny of the provisions of the Bill and their implications

                                                                                                                                                  Possible submissions or evidence from: Superannuation and financial services industry, employers, unions, ATO, Treasury, community stakeholders

                                                                                                                                                  Committee to which bill is to be referred: Senate Economics Legislation Committee

                                                                                                                                                  Possible hearing date(s): To be determined by the committee

                                                                                                                                                  Possible reporting date: 13 June 2018

                                                                                                                                                  Senator Anne Urquhart

                                                                                                                                                  Appendix 7

                                                                                                                                                  SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                                                                                  Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                                                                                  Name of bill: Treasury Laws Amendment (Personal Income Tax Plan) Bill 2018

                                                                                                                                                  Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: To understand the financial and distributional impacts of the policy proposals.

                                                                                                                                                  Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                                                                                                                      Possible hearing date(s): To be determined by the Committee

                                                                                                                                                                      Possible reporting date: Tuesday 19th June 2018

                                                                                                                                                                      Senator Anne Urquhart

                                                                                                                                                                      Appendix 6

                                                                                                                                                                      SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                                                                                                      Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                                                                                                      Name of bill: Treasury Laws Amendment (Personal Income Tax Plan) Bill 2018

                                                                                                                                                                      Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:

                                                                                                                                                                            Possible submissions or evidence from:

                                                                                                                                                                                    Committee to which bill is to be referred: Economics Legislation

                                                                                                                                                                                    Possible hearing date(s): July 2018

                                                                                                                                                                                    Possible reporting date : August 2018

                                                                                                                                                                                    Senator Rachel Siewert

                                                                                                                                                                                    Appendix 8

                                                                                                                                                                                    SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

                                                                                                                                                                                    Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

                                                                                                                                                                                    Name of bill: Water Amendment Bill 2018

                                                                                                                                                                                    Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Impact of changes on Murray-Darling Basin Plan; impact on stakeholders

                                                                                                                                                                                    Possible submissions or evidence from: Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, The Australia Institute, The Murray Declaration, Australian Conservation Foundation, Government of South Australia, Government of New South Wales, Government of Victoria, Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations

                                                                                                                                                                                    Committee to which bill is to be referred: Environment & Comms

                                                                                                                                                                                    Possible hearing date(s): TBA

                                                                                                                                                                                    Possible reporting date: 10th September 2018

                                                                                                                                                                                    Senator Rachel Siewert

                                                                                                                                                                                    I move:

                                                                                                                                                                                    That the report be adopted.

                                                                                                                                                                                    Question agreed to.