Week beginning 25 March 2024

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

• Retirement of Mr James Catchpole (25 March)
• Treaty between Australia and the Tuvalu Falepili Union presented by Minister for International Development and the Pacific (26 March)
• First speech by Ms Belyea, Member for Dunkley (27 March)

Legislation

17 bills were presented, and 10 bills were passed by the House.

Matters of Public Importance

• Housing (26 March)
• Cost of living (27 March)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented

Standing Committee on Economics

• Better competition, better prices: Report on the inquiry into promoting economic dynamism, competition and business formation, incorporating dissenting reports (26 March)

Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training

• Shared vision, equal pathways: Inquiry into the perceptions and status of vocational education and training, incorporating a dissenting report (25 March)

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

• Review of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2018 (27 March)

Standing Committee on Petitions

• Report 24: Petitions and Ministerial responses (25 March)

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works

• Department of Defence (26 March)
• Eighty seventh annual report (26 March)

Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs

• Recognising, valuing and supporting unpaid carers: Inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers (27 March)

Government responses

Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training

• Inquiry into the Fair Work Commission Annual Report 2019-2020 (27 March)

Delegation reports presented

There were no delegation reports presented

Private Members' business

The following private members' bills were introduced on Monday, 25 March

• Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) Bill 2024—Mr Coleman (Banks, NSW)
• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair and Transparent Elections) Bill 2024—Ms Chaney (Curtin, WA)
• Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill 2024—Mr Katter (Kennedy, QLD)

The following private members' motions were moved and debated on Monday, 25 March

• Cost of living—Mr Pike for Mr Hamilton (Groom, QLD)
• Decarbonised industries—Ms Chaney (Curtin, WA)
• Export market development grants—Mr Hogan (Page, NSW)
• Future Made in Australia—Ms Mascarenhas (Swan, WA)
• International women's day—Ms Claydon (Newcastle, NSW)
• Live sheep export—Mr Ramsey (Grey, SA)
• Scams—Ms Fernando (Holt, VIC)
• Services Australia—Mr Fletcher (Bradfield, NSW)
• Student debt—Mr Chandler-Mather (Griffith, QLD)

Debate resumed on the following private members' motions on Monday, 25 March

• Home guarantee scheme—Ms Byrnes (Cunningham, NSW)
• Live sheep export—Mr Ramsey (Grey, SA)
• Multicultural communities—Mr Laxale (Bennelong, NSW)