For the sitting period
20-30 September 1999
Legislation
The Electoral and Referendum Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1998, which
was last dealt with in May, was reconsidered on 27 September in
respect of two Senate amendments disagreed to by the government in
the House of Representatives and proposed substitute amendments,
relating to assisted voting and loans to political parties. The
question that the Senate amendments not be insisted on and the
substitute amendments be agreed to was divided, and the Senate
accepted one set of substitute amendments but insisted on its other
amendment, relating to assisted voting, rejected the substitute
amendments and made further amendments to the bill. This outcome
was then accepted by the government, allowing the bill finally to
pass.
The Further 1998 Budget Measures Legislation Amendment (Social
Security) Bill 1999 was the subject of extensive debate and was
finally passed on 22 September with both amendments and requests
for amendments, the latter involving increased expenditure from
standing appropriations in acts amended by the bill. This bill was
not resolved before the end of the period.
The National Health Amendment (Lifetime Health Cover) Bill 1999,
containing the government’s measures to encourage lifetime
health insurance, was also extensively considered and passed on 27
September with lengthy amendments originating from both government
and Opposition. All of the Senate’s amendments were accepted
by the government.
Debate on the Superannuation Contributions and Termination
Payments Taxes Legislation Amendment Bill 1999 on 29 September
provided a demonstration that government drafting of amendments is
not always faultless. Some government amendments neglected to cover
one of the principal acts which needed to be amended, and further
amendments had to be hastily produced while the debate was in
progress. Opposition amendments had avoided this error. The bill
was passed with considerable amendments which were accepted by the
government.
Two supplementary appropriation bills to provide money for
greenhouse gas emission policies and the book industry assistance
plan were debated on 29 September but not finalised. Because the
content of these bills was not referred to legislation committees
for estimates hearings, there is no limitation on consideration of
them in the Senate (standing order 115(4)).
The Australian Tourist Commission Amendment Bill 1999, a
non-controversial bill considered on Thursday, 23 September, was
the subject of a successful amendment moved by Senator Ridgeway
relating to ecological and cultural impact of tourist
development.
Delegated legislation disallowed
The Senate disallowed on 23 September a set of regulations
relating to petroleum retail sites. The Senate was informed that
one oil company, in anticipation of legislation to expand the
number of retail sites permitted to be owned by the companies, had
exceeded its quota of sites and the regulations sought to validate
this situation. Their disallowance was widely predicted, and there
was even a suggestion that the disallowance motion be passed as a
formal motion without debate, but debate was insisted on by the
Opposition.
Orders for production of documents
After a great deal of controversy about a government paper on
reform of the welfare system, which was said to have been produced
and then withheld, an order for the production of the document was
passed on 30 September, with a deadline of 12 October.
On the same day, the government produced a report on the
appointment of a person to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Board which had been ordered on 12 August and which the government
said did not exist at that time (see Bulletin No. 135, p. 1).
Privileges Committee
The Privileges Committee on 29 September produced its 79th
report relating to the question of whether misleading statements
had been made to the Senate in the course of the Colston affair in
May 1997. The committee at that time had been required not to
proceed with its inquiry until police investigations and the
prosecution of former Senator Colston for fraud were concluded. The
committee reported that, the Director of Public Prosecutions having
dropped the prosecution of Senator Colston because of his
ill-health, the committee should not proceed with its inquiry. This
recommendation was adopted by the Senate on the following day.
Committees
After a great deal of negotiation, but still with controversy
about the terms of reference, the Select Committee on
Superannuation, now called the Select Committee on Superannuation
and Financial Services, was re-established on 22 September on the
motion of Senator Allison. An unusual feature of the resolution of
appointment was that it provided for the chair to be appointed by
the Senate. Senator Watson was appointed chair by the Senate on
30 September.
The following committee reports were presented during the
period:
Date tabled |
Committee |
Title |
20.9 |
Economics Legislation |
Report—Superannuation
Contributions and Termination Payments Taxes Legislation Amendment
Bill 1999 |
" |
Community Affairs Legislation |
Additional Information—Estimates
1999-2000 |
22.9 |
Scrutiny of Bills |
14th Report and Alert Digest No. 14 of
1999 |
" |
Environment, Communications,
Information Technology and the Arts Legislation |
Additional Information—Estimates
1999-2000 |
" |
Community Affairs Legislation |
Additional Information—National
Health Amendment (Lifetime Health Cover) Bill 1996 |
23.9 |
Community Affairs Legislation |
Additional Information—Social
Security Administration Bills |
27.9 |
Community Affairs Legislation |
Additional Information—Social
Security Administration Bills |
" |
Environment, Communications,
Information Technology and the Arts References |
Report—Hinchinbrook Channel |
28.9 |
Rural and Regional Affairs and
Transport Legislation |
Report—Stevedoring Levy
(Collection) Amendment Bill 1999 |
29.9 |
Privileges |
79th Report—Possible false or
misleading statements tabled in the Senate |
" |
Economics Legislation |
Additional Information—Estimates
1999-2000 |
" |
Scrutiny of Bills |
Alert Digest No. 15 of 1999 |
30.9 |
Scrutiny of Bills |
15th Report |
30.9 |
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
References |
Interim Report—East Timor |
" |
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Legislation |
Report—Veterans’ Affairs
Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1999 |
" |
Employment, Workplace Relations, Small
Business and Education References |
Report—Regional Employment and
Unemployment |
Timor debate
Tuesday, 21 September, was entirely devoted to debate on a
motion supporting the dispatch of the United Nations peacekeeping
forces to East Timor. The motion was passed that evening.
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