Senate Daily Summary - 21 March 2013
National Apology for Forced Adoptions
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Conroy) moved a motion offering a
National Apology for Forced Adoptions. The motion was debated [
first speaker] [The Government’s response to the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on the matter was also tabled – see under “Committees”].
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Legislation
Bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bill was debated
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Towards Transparency) Bill 2012–second reading debate commenced [first speaker]
The following bills were passed
- Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Amendment Bill 2013 [first speaker in second reading debate] [The bill will now be assented to]
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Finance) Bill 2013 [first speaker in second reading debate] [The bill will now be assented to]
- Higher Education Support Amendment (Further Streamlining and Other Measures) Bill 2013 [first speaker in second reading debate] [The bill will now be assented to]
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Committees
Scheduled public committee hearings
Committee reports
Government response tabled
- Community Affairs References Committee–Commonwealth contribution to former forced adoption policies and practices
Document tabled
- Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee–President’s response to report–The performance of the Department of Parliamentary Services
New inquiries
Selection of Bills Committee report
The Senate adopted report no. 4 of 2013 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and made the following references:
- Aboriginal Land Rights and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013–Community Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 25 June 2013
- Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Bill 2013–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee–to report by 14 May 2013
- Australia Council Bill 2013 and a related bill–Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee–to report by 9 May 2013
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 2013–Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–to report by 16 May 2013
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (New Mandate and Other Measures) Bill 2013–Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee–to report by 14 May 2013
- Fair Work Amendment Bill 2013–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee–to report by 14 May 2013
- Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Funding for Certain Types of Abortion) Bill 2013–Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee–to report by 25 June 2013
- Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2013–Economics Legislation Committee–to report by 25 June 2013
- International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Amendment Bill 2013–Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee–to report by 25 June 2013
- Marriage Amendment (Celebrant Administration and Fees) Bill 2013 and a related bill–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 18 June 2013
- Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2013–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 25 June 2013
- Restoring Territory Rights (Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation) Bill 2012–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 24 June 2013
- Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 17 June 2013
- Student Identifiers Bill 2013–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee–to report by 18 June 2013
- Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2013–Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–to report by 17 June 2013
- Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Pharmaceutical Transparency) Bill 2013–Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee–to report by 17 June 2013
- Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2013 Measures No. 1) Bill 2013–Community Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 17 June 2013
- Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Military Compensation Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013–Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee–to report by 14 May 2013
Other references
Meeting during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee to hold an in camera hearing during the sitting of the Senate on 21 March 2013.
Reporting date extended
The Senate extended the reporting date for the inquiry of the Community Affairs References Committee into the impacts on health of air quality to 26 June 2013.
Membership
The Senate agreed to that Senator Fawcett replace Senator Nash on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for the committee’s inquiry into an aviation accident investigation on 21 March 2013.
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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]
Notices of motion to disallow given
Senator Fifield gave notices to disallow the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation 2013 and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation 2013 (No. 1), as contained in Select Legislative Instruments 2013 Nos 22 and 23 and made under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2013.
Orders for the production of documents
Documents tabled
A document relating to the number of detainees in detention centres was tabled [The document was tabled in response to the order of the Senate agreed to on 20 March 2013].
Orders with continuing effect
Health Insurance–Anti-competitive practices
A report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on anti‑competitive and other practices by health funds and providers in relation to private health insurance was tabled [The report was tabled in response to the order of the Senate agreed to on 25 March 1999 on the motion of Senator Harradine and amended on 18 September 2002]
Indexed lists of departmental and agency files published on the Internet
A statements of compliance for the Climate Change and Energy Efficiency portfolio was tabled [Letters of advice about certain files created by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
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Other business
Questions without notice–first question
Adjournment debate–first speaker
Motions agreed to
Motions negatived
Advances under the annual Appropriations Acts
The statement of Issues from the advances under the annual Appropriations Acts as a final charge for the year ended 30 June 2012 was approved.
Proposed suspension of standing orders
The Senate debated but did not agree to a motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator Abetz) to suspend standing orders to allow for consideration of a motion censuring the Government [first speaker].
Notices of motion
Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals.
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Statistics
Statistics on the work of the Senate this week will be available in the Statistical Summary, which forms part of StatsNet–the Department of the Senate’s online statistical collection.
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Online
The Senate Daily Summary is available at www.aph.gov.au/senate
It is issued by the Senate Table Office as a convenient summary of each day’s proceedings in the Senate. For a complete account see the official record, the Journals of the Senate.
Follow the Australian Senate on Twitter: @AuSenate
Related resources
The Order of Business (or ‘Senate Red’) and the Dynamic Red (which updates the Order of Business throughout the sitting day) are also available at www.aph.gov.au/senate
Contact details
Inquiries, comments and suggestions:
phone: (02) 6277 3021
e-mail: sds@aph.gov.au
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