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No. 12/2011
Monday, 21 March 2011
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The Senate met from 10.00 am until 10.17 pm
Legislation
For bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bills were introduced
- Australian Research Council Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2010 [passed by the House of Representatives on 3 March 2011]
- Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011 [private senator’s bill]
- Schools Assistance Amendment (Financial Assistance) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 21 March 2011]
The following bills were exempted from the cut-off order [to enable consideration in this period of sittings]
- Corporations and Other Legislation Amendment (Trustee Companies and Other Measures) Bill 2011
The following bills were debated
- National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010 and a related bill–second reading debate commenced [first speaker ]
- Sex and Age Discrimination Legislation Amendment Bill 2010–second reading debate commenced [first speaker ]
- Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Flood and Cyclone Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011 and a related bill–second reading agreed to [first speaker ] and committee of the whole commenced
The following bills were passed
- Australian Civilian Corps Bill 2010–9 Government amendments agreed to [the House of Representatives will now consider the amendments made by the Senate]
- Corporations and Other Legislation Amendment (Trustee Companies and Other Measures) Bill 2011 [the bill will now be assented to]
- Defence Legislation Amendment (Security of Defence Premises) Bill 2010 [the bill will now be assented to]
- Health Insurance Amendment (Compliance) Bill 2010 [the bill will now be assented to]
- Screen Australia (Transfer of Assets) Bill 2010 [the bill will now be assented to]
Notices of motion
To enable bills to be considered together
- National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Bill 2010 [2011] and a related bill
National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011
–notice given by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig)
To exempt bills from the cut-off order [to enable consideration this period of sittings]
- Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011
- Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011
- Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Rebate) Bill 2011
- National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011
- Schools Assistance Amendment (Financial Assistance) Bill 2011
–notice given by the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence (Senator Feeney)
Messages from the House of Representatives
Agreeing to the amendments made by the Senate to the following bills
- Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Bill 2010
- National Health and Hospitals Network Bill 2010
[The bills will now be assented to]
Bills assented to
Assent to a number of laws was reported in the Senate
See Committees for details of reports relating to legislation
Committees
For scheduled public committee hearings
For committee reports
Reports tabled
Reports on legislation
- Combating the Financing of People Smuggling and Other Measures Bill 2011–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee [report]
- National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010 and a related bill–Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–Interim report and final report
- National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Bill 2010 [2011] and related bills–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee [report]
- Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Flood and Cyclone Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011 and a related bill–Economics Legislation Committee [report]
Other reports
- Scrutiny of New Taxes Select Committee–New taxes monitoring database–Interim report
- Treaties Joint Committee–115th report–Treaties tabled on 28 October and 24 November 2010 and treaties referred on 16 November 2010 (Part 2) [a motion to take note of the report was agreed to]
Government response tabled
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee–Australian Civilian Corps Bill 2010
Documents tabled
- Consolidated register of Senate committee reports–Volume 2–2004 to 2010
New inquiry
The Senate referred matters relating to the giving of evidence to the Senate to the Privileges Committee.
New committee
A message from the House of Representatives was reported informing the Senate that the House had agreed to the amendments made by the Senate to the resolution of appointment of the National Broadband Network Joint Committee.
Meetings during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the following meetings to be held while the Senate is sitting:
- Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Joint Committee–21 March 2011 from 12.30 pm–Public meeting
- Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–21 March 2011–Private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Gambling Reform Joint Select Committee–22 March 2011 from 4.00 pm–Private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–21 March 2011 from 5.30 pm till 6.30 pm–Public meeting to take evidence on the inquiry into the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Amendment (Disallowance and Amendment Power of the Commonwealth) Bill 2010 together with the amendments on sheet no. 7031 circulated by the Australian Greens
- Senators’ Interests Committee–21 March 2011 from 10.00 am–Private briefing
Reporting date extended
The Senate agreed to extend the reporting date for the inquiry of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee into the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Amendment (Disallowance and Amendment Power of the Commonwealth) Bill 2010 together with the amendments on sheet no. 7031 circulated by the Australian Greens to 28 March 2011.
Notices of motion
To extend a reporting deadline
- Economics References Committee–Impacts of supermarket price decisions on the dairy industry–to report by 20 April 2011
To hold meetings when the Senate is sitting
- Cyber Safety Joint Select Committee–24 March 2011 from 9.30 am till 10.30 am–Public meeting
- Electoral Matters Joint Committee–23 March 2011 from 9.30 am till 10.45 am–to take evidence for the inquiry into the conduct of the 2010 Federal Election and matters related thereto
- Scrutiny of New Taxes Select Committee–24 March 2011 from 10.30 am till 12.30 pm–Public meeting
To refer matters to committees
- Eradication of the Asian honey bee–Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee–to report by 8 April 2011–notice given by Senator Milne
- Proposed acquisition of the Australian Stock Exchange by Singapore Exchange Limited–Economics References Committee–to report by 30 June 2011–notice given by Senator Xenophon
- Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 10 May 2011–notice given by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig)
Membership
The Senate agreed to various changes to committee memberships.
Documents
Delegated legislation
See Disallowance Alert for a complete list of notices of motion to disallow (and outcomes)
- Clerk’s documents were tabled [legislative instruments and other documents required by statute to be tabled]
Orders for the production of documents
Orders with continuing effect
Departmental and agency contracts published on the Internet
Letters of advice for various portfolios were tabled [see Journals entries nos 33 and 43] [Letters of advice about certain contracts valued at $100 000 or more entered into by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
Departmental and agency grants
A letter of advice for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations was tabled [Lists of all grants approved are required to be tabled 7 days before the commencement of budget, supplementary budget and additional estimates hearings]
Indexed lists of departmental and agency files published on the Internet
Statements of compliance for various agencies were tabled [Letters of advice about certain files created by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
Documents tabled
- Government document
- Parliamentary zone–proposal and documentation relating to the installation of artwork known as ‘The Prime Ministers’. A notice of motion was given to approve the proposal.
- Statement of reasons for the Government’s departure from advice of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission relating to the Water Charge (Infrastructure) Rules 2010
Other business
Questions without notice and issues arising during question time–first question
Adjournment debate–first speaker
Motion agreed to
Matter of public importance discussed
Japan
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Evans) moved a motion relating to the devastation in Japan. The motion was supported [first speaker].
Christchurch, New Zealand
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Evans) moved a motion relating to the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. The motion was supported [first speaker].
Ministerial arrangements
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Evans) informed the Senate of changes to the Gillard Ministry.
Notices of motion
Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals.
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Online
The Senate Daily Summary is available on the Internet at www.aph.gov.au/senate . On sitting days it provides a summary of each day’s proceedings in the Senate.
Estimates at a Glance is issued this week by the Senate Table Office as a convenient guide and index for information relating to the consideration of estimates by Senate committees.
Further information
Senate Briefs, prepared by the Senate Procedure Office, provide general information about the estimates process:
No. 4: Senate Committees
No. 5: Consideration of Estimates by the Senate Committees
No. 13: Rights and Responsibilities of Witnesses before Senate Committees
Contact details
Inquiries, comments and suggestions:
phone 6277 3021
e-mail: sds@aph.gov.au