Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave for general business order of the day No. 3, relating to the establishment of a select committee on Australia's disaster resilience, to be considered immediately. The whips have agreed that this item can be brought on for consideration at this time, with the question being put without any further debate. The motion has been recirculated.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no objection, leave is granted.

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Australia's Disaster Resilience, be established to inquire and report into the following matters:

(a) current preparedness, response and recovery workforce models, including:

(i) the role of the Australian Defence Force in responding to domestic natural disasters,

(ii) the impact of more frequent and more intense natural disasters, due to climate change, on the ongoing capacity and capability of the Australian Defence Force,

(iii) the direct costs and opportunity costs of Australian Defence Force high availability disaster recovery operations, and

(iv) the role of Australian civil and volunteer groups, not-for-profit organisations and state-based services in preparing for, responding to and recovering from natural disasters, and the impact of more frequent and more intense natural disasters on their ongoing capacity and capability;

(b) consideration of alternative models, including:

(i) repurposing or adapting existing Australian civil and volunteer groups, not-for-profit organisations and state-based services, and

(ii) overseas models and best practice;

(c) consideration of the practical, legislative, and administrative arrangements that would be required to support improving Australia's resilience and response to natural disasters; and

(d) any related matters.

(2) The committee present its final report on or before the last sitting day in September 2023.

(3) The committee consist of six senators, as follows:

(a) two senators nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

(b) two senators nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate;

(c) one senator nominated by minority party or independent senators; and

(d) one senator nominated by the Jacqui Lambie Network.

(4) That:

(a) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or independent senator; and

(b) participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee.

(5) In the event that the Senate is not sitting and is not expected to meet for at least a week, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, minority groups or independent Senators may nominate any appointment or discharge of a member of a committee in writing to the President. The change in membership shall take effect from the time the President received the written nomination. At the next sitting, the President shall report the change to the Senate and the Senate shall resolve that membership of the committee.

(6) If a member of a committee is unable to attend a meeting of the committee, that member may in writing to the chair of the committee appoint a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee at that meeting, and if the member is incapacitated or unavailable, a letter to the chair of a committee appointing a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee may be signed on behalf of the member by the leader or whip of the party or group on whose nomination the member was appointed to the committee.

(7) That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that not all members have been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

(8) That the committee elect as chair the member nominated by the Jacqui Lambie Network, and as deputy chair the member nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

(9) That the deputy chair shall act as chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

(10) That the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of the committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.

(11) That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote.

(12) That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to examine.

(13) That the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings, the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

(14) That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

(15) That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such documents and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Y (—Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) (): I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the current flood circumstances across much of the eastern seaboard, coupled with lessons learned from the Black Summer bushfires and the March 2022 Lismore floods, it is timely to review existing call-out procedures and demand on the ADF and other volunteer organisations, with a view to ensuring Australia develops a best practice humanitarian assistance and disaster relief model that is efficient and consistent and does not undermine core ADF capabilities.

Question agreed to.