Senator HERRON (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs) —I present the government's response to the President's report of 2 December 1997 on outstanding government responses to parliamentary committee reports, and I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard .

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE REPORTS RESPONSE TO THE SCHEDULE TABLED BY THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE ON 2 December 1997

CERTAIN FAMILY LAW ISSUES (Joint Select)

Funding and administration of the Family Court of Australia

The Government response was presented out of session to the President of the Senate on 25 February 1998.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS REFERENCES

Access to medical records

The Government is considering its response to the "Access to Medical Records" Report following consultations with key stakeholders. It is anticipated that the response will be tabled during the 1998 spring sittings.

CJD settlement offer

The Government response was tabled on 31 March 1998.

COMMUNITY STANDARDS RELEVANT TO THE SUPPLY OF SERVICES UTILISING ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGIES (Senate Select)

Overseas sourced audiotex services, video and computer games, R-rated material on pay TV

Information on recent developments is currently being included in a draft response. The Government response will be tabled following consideration of these changes.

Regulation of computer on-line services—part 2

Regulation of computer on-line services—part 3

The Government proposes to make a single response to these reports. To ensure that the response reflects settled policy, the Government will respond when the detail of proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 implementing a regulatory framework for the content of on-line services is finalised.

R-rated material on pay TV—part 1

R-rated material on pay TV—part 2 and Review of the guidelines for the classification of film and videotapes

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

Report on the Portrayal of Violence in the Electronic Media

Clearance of the response was sought from all Ministers on the Committee of Ministers on the Portrayal of Violence and other Ministers with responsibility for issues covered in the recommendations of the report. The responses from Ministers have recently been received and they raise issues which will need to be considered before the response can be finalised. It is expected the response will be tabled in the 1998 spring sittings.

ECONOMICS LEGISLATION

Customs Legislation (Anti-Dumping) Amendment Bill 1997 and

Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Amendment Bill 1997

The Government response to the report will be addressed during debate on the bills in the Senate. The Government does not intend to provide a separate formal response.

Taxation Laws Amendment (Trust Loss and Other Deductions) Bill 1997 and three related bills

The Bills were passed by the Senate on 23 March 1998. The Government does not intend to provide a separate formal response.

ELECTORAL MATTERS (Joint Standing)

Inquiry into the conduct of the 1996 Federal election and matters related thereto

The Government response was tabled on 8 April 1998.

Industrial Elections: Report of the inquiry into the role of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in conducting industrial elections.

The report's recommendations are currently being considered. The Government response is expected to be tabled in the near future.

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEGISLATION

Vocational Education and Training Funding Amendment Bill 1997

This Bill was passed by the Senate on 20 October 1997. The Government does not intend to respond further to this report.

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING REFERENCES

Inquiry into Austudy

The Government response was tabled on 8 April 1998.

Childhood matters

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

Beyond Cinderella—Towards a learning society

The Government response was tabled on 27 May 1998.

Inquiry into the implications of private and commercial funding in government schools

The Government response was tabled on 26 May 1998.

ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS REFERENCES

Marine and coastal pollution

The Government response is currently being considered by the Government.

FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION LEGISLATION

Report on annual reports tabled January 1995—June 1995

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

Format of the Portfolio Budget Statements

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFERENCES

Property Management in the Australian Public Service

The Government is considering its response to this report given major changes in Commonwealth property policy and public sector reforms such as privatisation of government businesses and further devolution of responsibility to departmental heads. The response is not expected to be tabled until the 1998 spring sittings.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE (Joint Standing)

Papua New Guinea Update—Report on Proceedings of a Seminar—11 and 12 November 1996, Canberra

The Government response was tabled on 28 May 1998.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissioner and Commonwealth Ombudsman: Report on public seminars, 20 and 25 September 1996, Canberra

The Government response was tabled on 23 June 1998.

Sharpening the focus: Report on a seminar on the Simons Committee report

The Government response was tabled on 8 April 1998.

From Empire to partnership: Report on a seminar on the Commonwealth of Nations

The Government response was tabled on 23 June 1998.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE REFERENCES

Australia China relations

The Government response was presented out of session to the President of the Senate on 14 April 1998.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS (Senate Standing)

Off the record—shield laws for journalists' confidential sources

In October 1994 the then Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs released its first report entitled "Off the Record". The report was part of the Committee's wide ranging inquiry into the rights and obligations of the media generally. The report addressed only one aspect of the terms of reference given to the Committee, that is whether journalists should be allowed to protect the identity of their sources on information.

The "Off the Record" report raised issues that were related to other aspects of the Committee's work which it is planning to examine as part of the inquiry. The Government believes that it is appropriate to await the completion of the Committee's work on the remaining issues raised by the terms of reference before it responds to the report. This will allow the Government to provide a comprehensive response to all of the issues raised by the Committee's inquiry.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL LEGISLATION

Role and function of the Administrative Review Council

The Government response was tabled on 1 April 1998.

Administrative Decisions (Effect of International Instruments) Bill 1997

The Government response to the report will be addressed during debate on the bill in the Senate.

Migration Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 4) and

Migration Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 5)

The Majority report into both bills recommended that they be passed without amendment.

In relation to the Minority report, Recommendations 1 and 2 have already been addressed by proposed Government amendments.

The other recommendation in the Minority report will be addressed by the Government during the Senate debate.

Constitutional aspects of the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997

The Committee's recommendations were addressed by debate and Government Amendments to the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997. The Government does not intend to table a separate response to this report.

LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENCES

Inquiry into the Commonwealth's actions in relation to Ryker (Faulkner) v The Commonwealth and Flint

Consideration of the Government response to the Committee's report is at an advanced stage.

Payment of a Minister's Legal Costs Part 2

Consideration of the proposed response to the report is well advanced and a response is expected to be finalised shortly.

Inquiry into the Australian legal aid system (1st report) and (2nd report)

The Government response was tabled on 27 May 1998.

MIGRATION (Joint Standing)

Australia's visa system for visitors

The Government response will be tabled as soon as the relevant consultations are completed.

Working holiday makers: More than tourists

The Government response will be tabled as soon as the relevant consultations are completed.

NATIVE TITLE AND THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LAND FUND (Joint)

Native Title Amendment Bill 1997 (10th report)

The Committee's recommendations were addressed by debate and Government amendments to the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997. The Government does not intend to table a separate response to this report.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS (Joint Statutory)

JCPA Reports

As a matter of general practice this explanatory schedule does not include reports from the Joint Committee of Public Accounts unless such reports contain policy recommendations. Reports that address administrative or operational matters are usually responded to in the form of Finance Minutes. These are normally provided to the Committee within six months of the tabling of the report and are then tabled by the Committee.

Advisory report on the Tax Law Improvement Bill 1996 (Report No 348)

The Government response was tabled on 4 December 1997.

Review of Auditor-General's reports 1995-96 (Report No. 349)

The Finance Minute for this report was tabled on 25 June 1998.

Review of Auditor-General's reports 1996-97—First quarter (Report No. 350)

The Finance Minute for this report was tabled on 25 June 1998.

Review of Auditor-General's reports 1996-97—Second quarter (Report No. 352)

The Finance Minute for this report was tabled on 25 June 1998.

Aboriginal Councils and Torres Strait Island Councils: Review of financial accountability requirements (Report No. 355)

The Finance Minute for this report will be transmitted to the Secretary of the Committee shortly. Tabling of the Finance Minute will be organised by the Committee.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT LEGISLATION

Live-stock Transactions Levy Bill 1997

The Government response was addressed during debate of the bill in the Senate. The bill was passed by the Senate on 4 December 1997. The Government does not intend to respond further to this report.

Sun Fund Bill 1997

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT REFERENCES

Value-adding in agricultural production

The Government response was tabled on 23 June 1998.

SUPERANNUATION (Senate Select)

Super guarantee—its track record (15th report)

Super and broken work patterns (17th report)

The Government response is being updated to take into account the Government's initiative in relation to superannuation and the Family Law.

Investment in Australia's superannuation savings (21st report)

The Government response was tabled on 2 July 1998.

Super—Restrictions on early access—Small Superannuation Accounts Bill 1997 (26th Report)

The Government response is being prepared.

Superannuation Contributions Tax (Members of Constitutionally Protected Superannuation Funds) Assessment and Collection Bill 1997 and six related bills (27th Report)

The Government response is being prepared.

TREATIES (Joint)

Two international agreements on tuna (3rd report)

The Government response was tabled on 26 May 1998.

Australia's withdrawal from UNIDO and treaties tabled on 11 February 1997 (7th report)

The Government response was tabled on 14 May 1998.

Treaties tabled on 18 March 1997 and 13 May 1997 (8th report)

The Government response is in preparation and is expected to be tabled in the 1998 spring sittings.

Amendments to the Bonn Convention (9th report)

The Government response was tabled on 27 May 1998.

Australia-Indonesia Maritime Delimitation Treaty (12th report)

The response is currently subject to the required consultative processes.

URANIUM MINING AND MILLING (Senate Select)

Uranium mining and milling in Australia

The Government response was tabled on 13 May 1998.