Senator ELLISON (Special Minister of State) (9:56 AM) —I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard .

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

The Employment, Education and Training Act 1988 established the National Board of Employment, Education and Training (or NBEET) to provide the then Minister with independent advice on employment, education and training.

As well as establishing the NBEET, the act established the Australian Language and Literacy Council, the Australian Research Council, the Employment and Skills Council, the Higher Education Council and the Schools Council which all report to the Minister through the NBEET. The Board and Councils are supported by a series of committees.

In our 1996 policy statement on higher education, Quality, diversity and choice, we announced our intention to abolish the NBEET and establish independent Councils to advise on higher education and research. This bill is the first step in that process.

The NBEET was established to advise on the policies and priorities of the previous government. This Government sees the need for different consultative mechanisms focussing on post-secondary education and training needs. Our preference is for advice to flow directly to the Minister. Current arrangements instead have specialist advice being filtered through the NBEET, rather than flowing directly.

The bill therefore provides for the abolition of the NBEET, the Australian Language and Literacy Council, the Employment and Skills Council, the Schools Council, and the Higher Education Council. The Australian Research Council will continue as an independent council reporting directly to the Minister.

I move now to the major provision of the bill.

The NBEET, the Australian Language and Literacy Council, the Employment and Skills Council, the Schools Council and the Higher Education Council will cease to exist when this legislation is proclaimed. The Australian Research Council will continue, with its membership unchanged. It will provide advice to the Minister on matters already referred to it by the Minister. Any committees currently established to serve the Council will continue with their existing membership.

Under the previous legislation the NBEET had functions which included and extended the work of each of the Councils. Those functions of the NBEET which related to the work of the Australian Research Council will now continue as functions of the Council in its own right.

Previously, advice and reports from the Councils were filtered through the NBEET before going to the Minister. In line with the Government's intention to create more independent councils, this bill will enable the advice of the ARC to now flow directly to the Minister. The ARC will report to the Minister annually on its operations, as has been the requirement on the NBEET, and this report will also be tabled.

Other amendments in the bill go to administrative matters including removing definitions no longer required under the act and retaining the position of Director to service the ARC. There are also transitional provisions to provide for continuity of membership of the ARC, and the counsellors and committees which assist it.

The financial impact of the bill will be minimal.

Debate (on motion by Senator O'Brien) adjourned.