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3 December 2008
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SENATE COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
This advertisement appears every second Wednesday on this page. It provides information on Senate and some joint committee activities. Senate committees encourage public involvement in their inquiries and submissions are invited from interested persons and organisations.
Bank mergers
The Senate Standing Committee on Economics is inquiring into aspects of bank mergers, including their economic, social and employment impacts; the adequacy of trade practices legislation to deal with bank mergers; and the extent and impact of 'off-shoring' of bank services. Submissions are due by 23 January 2009 and can be emailed to economics.sen@aph.gov.au. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_economics or call (02) 6277 3540.
Freedom of Information
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration is inquiring into the Freedom of Information (Removal of Conclusive Certificates and Other Measures) Bill 2008. The purpose of the bill is to repeal the power to issue conclusive certificates in the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Archives Act 1983 for all exemption provisions where certificates are issued. Submissions may be emailed to fpa.sen@aph.gov.au by 7 January 2009. The reporting date is 10 March 2009. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_fpa or phone (02) 6277 3530.
Child care in Australia
The Senate has referred the provision of child care in Australia to the Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for inquiry and report by 12 March 2009. In particular the committee will investigate: the financial, social and industry effects of the ABC Learning collapse on the provision of child care; alternative options and models for the provision of child care; the role of governments at all levels; and the feasibility of establishing a national authority to oversee the child care industry. Submissions may be emailed to eewr.sen@aph.gov.au by 30 January 2009. For further information see www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/inquiries.htm or call the committee secretary on (02) 6277 3520.
Importation of Philippines bananas
The Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport is inquiring into issues relating to the import risk analysis (IRA) for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines. The committee proposes to hold in-camera hearings for this inquiry in Canberra in late February 2009 and is to report by 19 March 2009. Submissions are invited and should be lodged at rrat.sen@aph.gov.au by 20 February 2009. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/index.htm or phone (02) 6277 3511.
Men's health
The Senate has established a Select Committee on Men's Health to inquire into general issues related to the availability and effectiveness of education, supports and services for men's health, including but not limited to:
- level of Commonwealth, state and other funding addressing men's health, particularly prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and depression,
- adequacy of existing education and awareness campaigns regarding men's health for both men and the wider community,
- prevailing attitudes of men towards their own health and sense of wellbeing and how these are affecting men's health in general, and
- the extent, funding and adequacy for treatment services and general support programs for men's health in metropolitan, rural, regional and remote areas.
The committee is to report by 30 May 2009. Submissions are due by 27 February 2009 and may be emailed to menshealth.sen@aph.gov.au. For further information see www.aph.gov.au/Senate/menshealth_ctte/index.htm or phone (02) 6277 3559.
Tax agents
The Senate Standing Committee on Economics is inquiring into the Tax Agent Services Bill 2008. The bill seeks to establish a national board to register and regulate tax agents so as to protect their customers. It would also introduce a legislated code of professional conduct. Submissions are due by 12 January 2009 and can be emailed to economics.sen@aph.gov.au. The reporting date is 12 February 2009. For further info rmation visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_economics or call (02) 6277 3540.
Gene patents
The Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs is inquiring into the impact of granting patents in Australia over human and microbial genes and non-coding sequences, proteins and their derivatives. In particular, the impact that patent monopolies over such materials may have on the provision and costs of healthcare, provision of training and accreditation for healthcare professionals, progress of medical research, and the health and wellbeing of Australians. The committee is also inquiring into whether the Patents Act 1990 should be amended in relation to such materials. Submissions are due by 19 March 2009 and should be emailed to community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_ca or phone (02) 6277 3515.
Residential and community aged care
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Admin istration is inquiring into the funding, planning, allocation, capital and equity of residential and community aged care. In particular, whether current funding levels are sufficient to meet the expected quality service provision outcomes; how appropriate the current indexation formula is in recognising the actual cost of pricing aged care services to meet the expected level and quality of such services; measures to address regional variation in the cost of service delivery; whether there is an inequity in user payments between different groups of aged care consumers and, if so, how the inequity can be addressed; whether the current planning ratio between community, high- and low-care places is appropriate; and the impact of current and future residential places allocation and funding on the number and provision of community care places. Submissions can be emailed to fpa.sen@aph.gov.au. The reporting date is the first sitting day in April 2009. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_fpa or phone (02) 6277 3530.
Workplace relations
The Senate has referred the Fair Work Bill 2008 to the Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for report by 27 February 2009. The purpose of the bill is to create a new framework for workplace relations to commence on 1 July 2009. Submissions may be emailed to eewr.sen@aph.gov.au by 9 January 2009. For further information see www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/inquiries.htm or call the committee secretary on (02) 6277 3520.
Personal property securities
The Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs is inquiring into an exposure draft of the Personal Property Securities Bill 2008. The bill, which will reform the personal property securities system, is a significant micro-economic reform and a key aspect of the Government's deregulation agenda. The reform would involve the creation of a single piece of Commonwealth legislation underpinned by a referral of legislative power from the States to regulate PPS interests. The change would be supported by the creation of a single, national electronic register of PPS interests. Submissions are due by 10 December and may be emailed to legcon.sen@aph.gov.au. The reporting date is 24 February 2009. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/index.htm or call (02) 6277 3560.
Plebiscite for an Australian republic
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration is inquiring into the Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008. The purpose of the bill is to require a plebiscite on whether Australia should be a republic. The bill provides for a simple yes or no question to whether electors support Australia becoming a republic. It specifies that a national plebiscite be held at the time of the next general election of the House of Representatives. Submissions may be emailed to fpa.sen@aph.gov.au by 6 February 2009. The reporting date is 15 June 2009. For further information visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate_fpa or phone (02) 6277 3530.
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):
Management of the Murray-Darling Basin system – (02) 6277 3511
Security and economic challenges in the Pacific – (02) 6277 3535
Skilling for climate change – (02) 6277 3521
AFL team for Tasmania – (02) 6277 3511
Implementation of the Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents reports – (02) 6277 3515
National broadband network – (02) 6277 3635
Petrol sniffing and substance abuse in central Australia – (02) 6277 3515
Food production – (02) 6277 3510
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. 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.
Comments to: web.senate@aph.gov.au
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