SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 1 OF 2005

1.   The committee met in private session from 4.20 pm.

2.   The committee resolved to recommend—That— (a)   the provisions of the AusLink (National Land Transport) Bill 2004 and AusLink (National Land Transport—Con-sequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2004 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 May 2005 (see appendix 1 for statement of reasons for referral); (b)   the Criminal Code Amendment (Trafficking in Persons Offences) Bill 2004 [2005] be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 March 2005 (see appendix 2 for statement of reasons for referral); and

(a)   the provisions of the AusLink (National Land Transport) Bill 2004 and AusLink (National Land Transport—Con-sequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2004 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 12 May 2005 (see appendix 1 for statement of reasons for referral);

(b)   the Criminal Code Amendment (Trafficking in Persons Offences) Bill 2004 [2005] be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 March 2005 (see appendix 2 for statement of reasons for referral); and

(c)   the provisions of the Tax Laws Amendment (2004 Measures No. 7) Bill 2004 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 March 2005 (see appendix 3 for statement of reasons for referral).

• Australian Sports Commission Amendment Bill 2004
• Child Support Legislation Amendment Bill 2004
• Senate Voters’ Choice (Preference Allocation) Bill 2004
• Superannuation Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• Life Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• General Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• Retirement Savings Account Providers Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• Authorised Non-operating Holding Companies Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2004
• Financial Institutions Supervisory Levies Collection Amendment Bill 2004.

The committee recommends accordingly.

4.   The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to the next meeting:

Bills deferred from meeting of 8 February 2005

• Navigation Amendment Bill 2004
• Trade Practices Amendment (Personal Injuries and Death) Bill 2004.

(Jeannie Ferris)

Chair

9 February 2005

Appendix 1

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill(s):

AusLink (National Land Transport) Bill 2004 and AusLink (National Land Transport—Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2004

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

1. Questions about the changes to the Commonwealth Government’s funding responsibility for construction and maintenance of infrastructure on what was formerly defined as the National Highway Network.

2. The need for a National Infrastructure advisory Council, involving stakeholder and expert representation and input into planning.

3. Examine the extension of the criteria for Roads to Recovery projects to include public transport, cycling, walking infrastructure and regional airport runways.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Australian Automobile Association, Australian Trucking Association, Australia Local Government Association, state and territory governments.

Committee to which bill is referred:

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date:

Possible reporting date(s): 12 May 2005

Appendix 2

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill(s):

Criminal Code Amendment (Trafficking in Persons Offences) Bill 2004 [2005]

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

1. To examine the possible inclusion of additional offences, including child-specific offences.

2. To examine the use of absolute liability in the bill

3. To consider the phrasing of the bill in relation to use of the terms “for commercial use” with regard to sexual exploitation offences.

4. to consider the desirability of including some PJCACC recommendations into the bill.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Various interested parties including World Vision

Committee to which bill is referred:

Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date:

Possible reporting date(s): 7 March 2005

Appendix 3

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill(s):

Tax Laws Amendment (2004 Measures No. 7) Bill 2004

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration

The terms of reference for the Senate inquiry will be:

• Whether Schedule 1 measures pose a threat to the tax base by opening significant tax avoidance opportunities,
• Whether Schedule 1 measures create an incentive for a taxpayer split income between different taxations entities (eg a company or partnerships)
• Whether the grouping rules for the simplified tax system are sufficient to prevent tax avoidance given that they are designed to operate from a much higher threshold
• Whether the measures in Schedule 1 will be appropriately targeted to entrepreneurial activity

Schedule 5

The costs and effectiveness of taxation concession for frontier petroleum exploration in Schedule 5

Possible submissions or evidence from:

Treasury, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Renewable Fuels, Greenpeace, Renewable Energy Generators, Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems

Committee to which bill is referred:

Economics Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date:

Possible reporting date(s): 7 March 2005