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4 November 2009

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Senate Committee Activities

This advertisement appears every second Wednesday on this page. It provides information on Senate and some joint Parliamentary committee activities. Senate committees encourage public involvement in their inquiries and submissions are invited from interested persons and organisations.

Economics Committee

The Senate Economics Committees are inquiring into the following matters:

Competition and pricing in the Australian dairy industry - the committee will be reporting by 28 February 2010 on the varying prices being paid to dairy farmers in different Australian states, including their economic effect, the impact of the concentration of ownership of milk processing facilities and supermarket supply contracts on milk market conditions and whether aspects of the Trade Practices Act 1974 are in need of review.

Safe Climate (Energy Efficient Non Residential Buildings Scheme) Bill 2009 - this bill introduces a building energy efficiency trading scheme, setting a declining emissions intensity baseline for each type of commercial building. Property owners that emit above the baseline will be required to buy emissions intensity certificates from those that emit below. The bill offers an incentive for the commercial building sector to improve their energy efficiency.

Taxation of hobby farms - the Tax Laws Amendment (2009 Budget Measures No. 2) Bill 2009 includes amendments to tighten the application of non-commercial losses by ensuring that individuals with an adjusted taxable income greater than $250,000 can only deduct excess expenses from their non-commercial business activities (such as ‘hobby farms') against future income. The proposals will effectively quarantine any deductions that exceed the income of the non-commercial business for use against future income of that business activity.

Submissions to: economics.sen@aph.gov.au; information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate_economics; tel: (02) 6277 3540.

Australia's administration and management of the Torres Strait

The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee is inquiring into the administration and management of matters relating to Australia's northern air, sea and land approaches in the region of the Torres Strait. The matters include: the Torres Strait Treaty; the Torres Strait Regional Authority; cooperation between Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia; and significant challenges facing the region. The committee is to report by 26 February 2010. Information available at: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/fadt_ctte/torresstrait; tel (02) 6277 3535.

Relaxation of import restrictions on beef

The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee is inquiring into the possible impacts and consequences for public health, trade and agriculture of the Government's decision to relax import restrictions on beef, especially relating to the import of beef from countries previously affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease. The committee is to report by 30 November. Submissions: online at the website or emailed to rrat.sen@aph.gov.au by 12 November. Information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/inquiries.htm; tel (02) 6277 3511.

Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee

The Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts References Committee is inquiring into the following matters:

Australia Post's treatment of injured and ill workers

  • The practices and procedures of Australia Post over the past 3 years in relation to the treatment of injured and ill workers. Submissions due 23 November and the committee is to report by 2 February 2010.

Energy Efficient Homes Package

  • The administration and effectiveness of the ceiling insulation program of the Energy Efficient Homes Package. Submissions due 18 December and the committee is to report by 30 March 2010.

Submissions can be lodged online at the committee's webpage or emailed to eca.sen@aph.gov.au. Information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eca_ctte/inquiries.htm; tel: (02) 6277 3526.

Fair Work bill - State referrals and other measures

The Senate has referred the Fair Work Amendment (State Referrals and Other Measures) Bill 2009 to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee for report by 16 November. The bill amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to enable the states to refer workplace relations matters to the Commonwealth for the purposes of paragraph 51 (xxxvii) of the Constitution. The bill also seeks to establish arrangements for employees and employers transitioning from referring state systems to the national workplace relations system; and makes consequential amendments to several other acts. Submissions to: eewr.sen@aph.gov.au by 6 November; information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/inquiries.htm; tel: (02) 6277 3520.

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee

The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee is inquiring into the following bills:

Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 - proposes changes to fixing and reviewing trustee remuneration, strengthens penalties for some bankruptcy offences, removes the concept of Bankruptcy Districts in personal insolvency administration, increases the minimum debt for a creditor's petition to reflect changes in the economic environment, increases the stay period following a declaration of intent to file a debtor's petition, and increases the debt, income and asset tests thresholds for debt agreements to ensure the thresholds keep pace with increasing wages and the increasing availability of credit. Submissions due 24 November.

Native Title Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2009 - would amend the future acts regime of the Native Title Act to provide a process for the construction of public housing and other facilities by or on behalf of the Crown, a local government body or other statutory authority in communities on Indigenous-held land. The bill would provide for a representative Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander body or Native Title claimant to be notified and afforded an opportunity to comment on acts which could affect native title, and for compensation for any impact on native title rights and interests. Submissions due 24 November.

Personal Property Securities (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 – this bill represents the next stage in the Government's harmonisation of Australia's law on secured financing using personal property, following the introduction of the Personal Property Securities Bill 2009 in June. The bill will amend 25 Commonwealth Acts that deal with the creation, registration, priority, extinguishment or enforcement of interests in personal property. The amendments proposed will also clarify the operation of legislation that will operate concurrently with the PPS bill, facilitating the establishment of a single national regime for personal property securities. Submissions due 9 November.

Submissions to: legcon.sen@aph.gov.au; information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/index.htm; tel: (02) 6277 3560.

Aviation and maritime security measures to combat serious and organised crime

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission is inquiring into the adequacy of aviation and maritime security measures to combat serious and organised crime. In particular, the committee will examine the methods used by serious and organised criminal groups to infiltrate Australia's airports and ports, and the extent of infiltration; the range of criminal activity currently occurring at Australia's airports and ports; and the effectiveness of the Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) and Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) schemes. Submissions to: acc.committee@aph.gov.au by 6 November; information: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/acc_ctte/inquiries.htm; tel: (02) 6277 3419.

 

Other current inquiries

Submissions may still be made to the relevant Senate committee in respect of the following inquiries (for more information phone the number shown):

Primary schools for the 21 st century – (02) 6277 3520
Hearing health in Australia – (02) 6277 3515
Geographic price discrimination: the “Blacktown amendment” – (02) 6277 3540
Suicide in Australia – (02) 6277 3515
Defence – Parliamentary approval of overseas service – (02) 6277 3535
Food labelling – (02) 6277 3540
Fuel and Energy – (02) 6277 3635
Water licences and rights – (02) 6277 3526
National broadband network – (02) 6277 3635
Operation of the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act – (02) 6277 3419
Regional and remote Indigenous communities – 1800 728 963

Submissions

Please note that submissions to inquiries become committee documents and are made public only after a decision of the committee. Committees reserve the right to not receive a submission in whole or in part. Persons making submissions must not release them until they have been published by the committee. The prior publication of a submission will not be protected by parliamentary privilege.

Submissions can be posted to the relevant committee at The Senate, PO Box 6100, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600.

General information and inquiries

If you have any general questions relating to Senate committees or inquiries please phone (02) 6277 3555, fax (02) 6277 3899, visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/index.htm or email seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au

If you want information on:

  • how to make a submission;
  • guidance to witnesses appearing before committees; or
  • what parliamentary privilege means,

visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/wit_sub or contact the general inquiries number.

Reports

Reports of Senate committees can be found online at www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/index.htm and follow the prompt to each committee. Copies of reports, submissions and Hansards are available on CD by emailing SenCteeResOff@aph.gov.au.

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