Week beginning 22 March 2021

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

• Message from the Senate: Resolution calling on the Government to establish a Royal Commission into the rate of suicide among current and former serving Australian Defence Force personnel, debated and agreed to (22 March)

• Statements by indulgence relating to the NSW and Queensland floods (23 March and 24 March)

• Statement by Speaker: Sub judice convention (24 March)

• Statement by indulgence: Member for Fowler announces retirement at next election (24 March)

• Statements by indulgence relating to the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence Day (25 March)

Legislation

13 bills were presented and 7 bills were passed by the House

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

Ministerial Statements

There were no ministerial statements

Matters of Public Importance discussed

• Energy (23 March)

• Aged care (24 March)

• Australian interests (25 March)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented

Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources

• Aussie logs for Aussie jobs: Inquiry into timber supply chain constraints in the Australian plantation sector (23 March)

Standing Committee on Petitions

• Report 24: Petitions and Ministerial responses (22 March)

Selection Committee

• Report No. 29 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Wednesday, 12 May 2021 (24 March)
• Report No. 30 relating to the consideration of bills introduced 22 to 25 March 2021 (25 March)

Government responses

There were no government responses presented

Delegation reports presented

There were no delegation reports presented

Private Members’ business

The following private members' motions were moved and debated on Monday, 22 March

• Distilleries—Mr Wilkie (Clark, TAS)

• Diversity and inclusion—Mr Giles (Scullin, VIC)

• Emissions targets—Mr T. R. Wilson (Goldstein, VIC)

• Foreign interference in universities— Mr T. R. Wilson, by leave, for Mrs McIntosh (Lindsay, NSW)

• Homebuilder—Mr Thompson (Herbert, QLD)

• Human rights in Cambodia—Mr Hill (Bruce, VIC)

• Human rights in China—Mr K. J. Andrews (Menzies, VIC)

• Resources industry—Ms M. M. H. King (Brand, WA)

• Support for Australians—Mr Young (Longman, QLD)