Sitting week beginning Monday, 26 October 2009 — 6th House sitting week of the 42nd Parliament’s 2009 spring sittings (16th sitting week for 2009).

This page summarises the work expected to be done in the House of Representatives and its Main Committee. It is updated weekly during sittings. For a full report of the business dealt with, including a list of documents presented, go to the Votes and Proceedings (available as PDF or HTML from Parlinfo). To read the debates including question time go to Hansard.

For details about the proposed program of business for each sitting of the House and Main Committee and that sitting's public hearings of House and joint committees go to the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo) The House Daily Program is usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

This week the House is expected to sit Monday to Thursday, in a pattern similar to that described in the Infosheet 'A typical sitting day'.

The Main Committee is also expected to meet on Monday (from 4pm to 9.30pm), Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm) and on Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm).

For details about the current hours see the Houses daily routine of business diagrams for the House of Representatives Chamber (PDF 206 kb) and Main Committee (PDF 225 kb).

Real time tracking of business done by the House Chamber and the House Main Committee

You can track each item of business as it is being done in the House Chamber and the House Main Committee by using the “LiveMinutes” service at www.aph.gov.au/house/liveminutes.

You can see proceedings of the House Chamber and the House Main Committee via the webcasts at the Australian Parliament's livebroadcasting site. Replays of the House of Representatives Question Time are available from the About the House News site.

Legislation

Government bills are expected to be introduced into the House this week. These bills will be listed on the House Daily Program and the text of each bill will be available via the Bills Page after they are introduced. Details of bills to be introduced are not available prior to their introduction.

In the House during the week it is planned to resume debate on the following Government bills already introduced (note – these plans may change as the week unfolds, especially if some of the bills listed below are referred to the Main Committee by the House. Bills received from the Senate are in italics):

Monday

• Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students) Bill 2009

• Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2009

• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious and Organised Crime) Bill 2009

• Tax Laws Amendment (2009 Measures No. 5) Bill 2009

• Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2009

• Social Security Amendment (National Green Jobs Corps Supplement) Bill 2009

Tuesday

• Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP and Tertiary Admission Centres) Bill 2009

• Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Participation Requirement) Bill 2009

• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious and Organised Crime) Bill (No. 2) 2009

• Tax Laws Amendment (Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists) Bill 2009

• Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2009

Wednesday

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges—Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges—Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges—General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

Thursday

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2] and related bills (see Wednesday)

In the Main Committee it is planned to resume debate on the following Government business matters:

Monday (from 4pm to 9.30pm)

• Tax Agent Services (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009

• Health Insurance Amendment (Compliance) Bill 2009

• Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2009

Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm)

• Crimes Amendment (Working With Children—Criminal History) Bill 2009

Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm)

• TBA – see Thursday's edition of the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo), usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

Related links:

• Bills page

• Infosheet: Making Laws (PDF 223 kb)

Committee and delegation reports and private Members’ motions

On Monday commencing at 8.40pm the following committee reports will be presented in the Chamber and then the following private Members’ motion will be debated (for details of the motion go to the Monday Notice Paper of the House):

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security — Annual Report of Committee Activities 2008-2009 — Mr Bevis (Chair) (ALP, Brisbane, Qld)

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security — Review of the Listing of Al-Shabaab — Mr Bevis (Chair) (ALP, Brisbane, Qld)

• Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts — Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate: the time to act is now — Ms George (Chair) (ALP, Throsby, NSW)

• United Nations Day — Ms Parke (ALP, Fremantle, WA

At approximately 7.05pm in the Main Committee on Monday, debate will ensue on private Members’ motions in the following sequence and about the following subjects (for details of these motions go to the Monday Notice Paper of the House):

• National Landcare Week — Mr Chester (Lib, Gippsland, Vic)

• Australian Food Labelling Standards — Mr Zappia (ALP, Makin, SA)

• Forgotten Australians — Mrs Gash (Lib, Gilmore, NSW)

• Magill Youth Training Centre — Mr Briggs (Lib, Mayo, SA)

Auditor-General’s reports

Reports of the Auditor-General may be presented by the Speaker after question time on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the week.

Matters of Public Importance

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after question time, in accordance with the House's standing orders, it is possible for the House to discuss a matter of public importance (MPI). If an MPI is proposed by a Member, and is in order, the subject of the MPI will be announced shortly after midday on each of these days and published on ParlInfo.

If more than one MPI is proposed the Speaker will decide which MPI is the most urgent and important to be submitted to the House that day.

Grievance debate

In accordance with standing orders Grievance Debate is held on sitting Mondays in the Main Committee. At 8.30p.m., after the conclusion of private Members’ business, debate is resumed on the question ‘That grievances be noted’ and debate ensues until 9.30pm. Debate on the question is practically unlimited in scope, giving Members the opportunity, in 10 minute speeches, to raise matters in which they have a particular interest or to discuss complaints of constituents.

Petitions

Petitions and ministerial responses to petitions will be presented by the Chair of the Petitions Committee, Mrs Irwin (ALP, Fowler, NSW) on Monday at 8.30pm.

Members' may also present petitions during the time reserved for Members' Statements in the Main Committee, during the Adjournment Debates of the House and the Main Committee and during Grievance Debate in the House.

Related links

• Petitioning the House of Representatives

• Standing Committee on Petitions

• Infosheet Petitions (PDF 242 kb)

Printable Version

• Printable version of this information in PDF format (226 Kb).