Week beginning 3 December 2018

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

• The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition made statements on indulgence in relation to the death of former President of the United States of America George H W Bush (3 December); further statements were made in the Federation Chamber (4 December)
• Statement by Speaker — Matter of Privilege (5 December)
• The Member for Warringah and the Member for Barton made statements by leave in relation to remote Indigenous education (6 December)

Legislation

15 bills were presented and 4 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 (4 December)
• Energy policy (5 December)
• Wage growth (6 December)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters

• Report on the conduct of the 2016 federal election and matters related thereto (5 December)

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

• Inquiry into the management of PFAS contamination in and around Defence bases (3 December)
• Compassion, not commerce: An inquiry into human organ trafficking and organ transplant tourism (3 December)

Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources

• Keep it in the regions: Mining and resources industry support for businesses in regional economies (3 December)
  

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

• Advisory report on the Intelligence Services Amendment Bill 2018 (4 December)
• Advisory report on the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018 (5 December)
  

Standing Committee on Petitions

• Report 33: Petitions and Ministerial responses (3 December)

Government responses to committee reports

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

• Review of the re-declaration of Mosul District, Ninewa Province, Iraq (6 December)

To read other committee reports, see committees 

Delegation reports presented

Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Mexico and Peru, 22 September to 1 October 2018 (5 December)

To read other delegation reports, see Outgoing delegations and visits

Private Members’ motions

The following motions were moved and debated on 3 December 2018

• 10th anniversary of the 2009 Victorian bushfires — Ms McGowan (Indi)
• 70th anniversary of the United Nations Genocide Convention — Mr T. Wilson (Goldstein)
• Farming communities and drought — Mr Gee (Calare)
• Preschool/kindy funding — Ms Claydon (Newcastle) 
• Proposed Royal Commission into the supermarket and petrol retailing sectors — Mr Hogan (Page)
• Queensland electricity prices — Mr T. O'Brien (Fairfax)
• The Jewish community in Australia — Mr Leeser (Berowra)
• Veterans employment — Mr Wallace (Fisher)

Debate resumed on the following motions on 3 December 2018

• Home care packages — Mr Hart (Bass)
• Universities funding — Ms T. Butler (Griffith)