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No. 15/2011
Thursday, 24 March and
Friday, 25 March 2011
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The Senate met from 9.30 am and suspended at 10.00 pm until 9.00 am on Friday, 25 March 2011, and met from 9.00 am until 10.04 pm on Friday, 25 March 2011
Legislation
For bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bills were introduced
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Dividend and Other Measures) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 23 March 2011]
- Customs Amendment (Serious Drugs Detection) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 23 March 2011]
- Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 March 2011]
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (MRCA Supplement) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 March 2011]
- Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 March 2011]
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 March 2011]
- Therapeutic Goods Legislation Amendment (Copyright) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 23 March 2011]
The following private senators’ bills were debated
- Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010 [pivate senator’s bill]–second reading agreed to [first speaker ]–1 Opposition second reading amendment agreed to [referring to matters relating to the bill] and 1 Senator Xenophon second reading amendment agreed to [referring the bill and certain related documents to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee] [see Journals of the Senate ]
- Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011 [private senator’s bill]–second reading agreed to [first speaker ]–1 Government second reading amendment agreed to [referring the bill to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee]
The following bills were passed
- Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011
- Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011
- [These bills will now be assented to]
- National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010 and a related bill–second reading agreed to and committee of the whole commenced–
- National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010–20 Government and 1 Australian Greens amendments agreed to
- Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures—Access Arrangements) Bill 2011–31 Government, 1 Australian Greens and 14 Senator Xenophon amendments agreed to and 33 subsections negatived. 4 Government amendments as amended by 15 Australian Greens/Senator Xenophon amendments also agreed to
[See Journals entries nos 35 and 42 ]
[The House of Representatives will now consider the amendments made by the Senate]
Message from the House of Representatives
- Civil Dispute Resolution Bill 2010–agreeing to the amendments made by the Senate [the bill will now be assented to]
Notice of motion to discharge a bill from the Notice Paper
- Assisting Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill 2010 [private senator’s bill]–notice given by Senator Brandis
Committees
For scheduled public committee hearings
For committee reports
New committee
The Senate agreed to establish the Australia’s Food Processing Sector Select Committee.
New inquiries
Selection of Bills Committee report
The Senate adopted report nos 3 and 4 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and made the following references:
- Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011
Carbon Credits (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011
Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Bill 2011
–Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–to report by 20 May 2011
- Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill 2011–Economics Legislation Committee–to report by 22 June 2011
- Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 23 June 2011
- Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 21 September 2011
- Migration Amendment (Detention Reform and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2010–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 16 August 2011
- National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011–Community Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 9 June 2011
- Product Stewardship Bill 2011–Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–to report by 28 April 2011
- Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill 2011 and a related bill–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee–to report by 10 May 2011
Other references
- Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010, together with amendments circulated by Senator Ronaldson on sheet 7027 and proposed mechanisms for funding the bill–Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee–to report by 10 May 2011
- Matters relating to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme–Community Affairs References Committee–to report by 18 August 2011
- Standing order 55(2) to (5) relating to the meeting of the Senate–Procedure Committee
- Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–to report by 10 May 2011
Meetings during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the following meetings to be held while the Senate is sitting:
- Community Affairs References Committee–25 March 2011 from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm–Public meeting for the committee’s inquiry into the impacts of rural wind farms
- Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee–25 March 2011–Private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee–25 March 2011 from 9.00 am to 3.30 pm–Public meeting for the committee’s inquiry into the Australian film and literature classification scheme
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee–25 March 2011–Public meeting
- Gambling Reform Joint Select Committee–25 March 2011 from 9.00 am–Public meeting
- Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee–24 March 2011 from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm–Public meeting for the committee’s inquiry into the Asian honey bee
- Treaties Joint Committee–25 March 2011–Public meeting
Reporting dates extended
The Senate extended reporting dates for the following inquiries:
- Economics References Committee–Competition within the Australian banking sector–to report by 27 April 2011
- Environment and Communications Legislation Committee–Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bioregional Plans) Bill 2011–to report by 9 June 2011
- Environment and Communications References Committee–Adequacy of protections for the privacy of Australians online–to report by 7 April 2011
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Amendment (Disallowance and Amendment Power of the Commonwealth) Bill 2010, together with the amendments on sheet number 7031 circulated by the Australian Greens–to report by 4 May 2011
Membership
The Senate agreed to various changes to committee membership [see Journals entries nos 2 and 34]
Documents
Delegated legislation
See Disallowance Alert for a complete list of notices of motion to disallow (and outcomes)
- Clerk’s documents were tabled [legislative instruments and other documents required by statute to be tabled]
Orders for the production of documents
Motion agreed to
The Senate ordered the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Senator Conroy) to table a copy of the Interim Report on the Tasmanian Forestry Negotiations prepared by Mr Bill Kelty by 6.00 pm on 24 March 2011, or within 24 hours of receipt of the report from Mr Kelty.
Documents tabled
Documents relating to the appointment of Ms Catherine Deveny as a disabilities ambassador for the International Day of People with a Disability were tabled in response to an order of the Senate agreed to on 3 March 2011.
Orders with continuing effect
Indexed lists of departmental and agency files published on the Internet
Statements of compliance for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Treasury portfolio were tabled [Letters of advice about certain files created by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
Documents tabled
Other business
Questions without notice and issues arising during question time–first question
Motions agreed to
- 20th anniversary of the report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody–moved by Senator Siewert
- Parliamentary zone–to approve a proposal for the installation of artwork known as ‘The Prime Ministers’–moved by the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers (Senator McLucas)
- World Tuberculosis Day–moved by Senators Pratt and Carol Brown
Motions negatived
Advances under the annual Appropriation Acts
The statement of Issues from the advances under the annual Appropriations Acts as a final charge for the year ended 30 June 2010 was approved.
Notices of motion
Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals.
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Online
The Senate Daily Summary is available on the Internet at www.aph.gov.au/senate . On sitting days it provides a summary of each day’s proceedings in the Senate.
Estimates at a Glance is issued this week by the Senate Table Office as a convenient guide and index for information relating to the consideration of estimates by Senate committees.
Further information
Senate Briefs, prepared by the Senate Procedure Office, provide general information about the estimates process:
No. 4: Senate Committees
No. 5: Consideration of Estimates by the Senate Committees
No. 13: Rights and Responsibilities of Witnesses before Senate Committees
Contact details
Inquiries, comments and suggestions:
phone 6277 3021
e-mail: sds@aph.gov.au