Week beginning 2 April 2019

This page provides an overview of the key events of the last sitting week in the House of Representatives. It includes all bills presented and debated; and selected statements, debates and committee business. For the official record of proceedings, see the Votes and Proceedings. For a detailed procedural account of events, see the Procedural Digest and House Review.

Key Events

• Members for Gilmore, Indi, Mallee, Melbourne Ports, Moncrieff, Reid, Ryan, Stirling and Sturt made Valedictory speeches in the House (2, 3 and 4 April)
• The Prime Minister moved a motion in relation to the Christchurch attack; the Leader of the Opposition seconded the motion (2 April) Further debate continued in the Federation Chamber (3 April), agreed to (4 April)
• The Speaker made a statement relating to Commonwealth Day on 11 March and presented a Commonwealth Day 2019 message, Signed by Her Majesty The Queen (2 April)
• The Special Minister of State moved a motion in relation to Members' qualifications under the Constitution; agreed to (4 April)
• The Treasurer delivered the 2019-2020 Budget Speech (2 April); the Leader of the Opposition delivered the Budget reply (4 April)

Legislation

13 bills were presented and 26 bills were passed by the House

Click here for a list of bills introduced and debated in the House

Ministerial Statements

Matters of Public Importance discussed

• Climate change (2 April)
• Budget (3 April)
• Plan for the future (4 April)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented

Selected committee reports - To read other committee reports, see committees

Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration

• Report No. 17: Budget estimates 2019-2020 (4 April)

Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts

• Report on the inquiry into the Australian music industry (2 April)

Standing Committee on Economics

• Report on the inquiry into impediments to business investment (4 April)
• Report on the inquiry into the implications of removing refundable franking credits (4 April)
• Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia annual report 2018 (First report) (4 April)

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters

• Advisory report: Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering Voting Age and Increasing Voter Participation) Bill 2018 (2 April)

Standing Committee on Environment and Energy

• Cane toads on the march—Inquiry into controlling the spread of cane toads (2 April)

Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport

• Bedtime reading: Inquiry into sleep health awareness in Australia (4 April)
• Report on the Inquiry into the 2017-18 annual reports of the Department of Health and Australian Hearing (4 April)

Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities

• Innovating transport across Australia (2 April)

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

• Advisory report on the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill 2019 (3 April)
• Review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 (3 April)

Select Committee on Intergenerational Welfare Dependence

• Living on the edge: Inquiry into Intergenerational Welfare Dependence (2 April)

Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories

• Telling Australia’s story—and why it’s important: Report on the inquiry into Canberra’s national institutions (3 April)

Joint Select Committee on the Oversight of the implementation of redress related recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

• Getting the National Redress Scheme right: An overdue step towards justice (3 April)
  

Government responses to committee reports

Selected committee business - To read other responses committee reports, see committees 

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

• Australia’s trade and investment relationships with countries of the Middle East (2 April)
• Contestability and consensus: A bipartisan approach to more effective parliamentary engagement with Defence (2 April)

Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

• NDIS ICT Systems (2 April)
• Provision of assistive technology under the NDIS (2 April)

Delegation reports presented

Selected delegation reports - To read other delegation reports, see Outgoing delegations and visits

Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Vietnam, Thailand and Brunei, 15 to 25 July 2018 (2 April)

Private Members’ motions

There were no private Members' motions moved or debated