2016-2017-2018

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

THE SENATE

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian Multicultural Bill 2018

 

No.      , 2018

 

(Senator Di Natale)

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to establish the Australian Multicultural Commission, and for related purposes

   

   

   

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary                                                                                                              1

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2

3............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 2

4............ Objects of this Act.............................................................................. 3

5............ Simplified outline of this Act.............................................................. 4

Part 2—Application of this Act                                                                                      6

6............ Act applies throughout Australia......................................................... 6

7............ Alternative constitutional basis............................................................ 6

8............ Interaction with State and Territory laws............................................. 7

9............ Extent to which Act binds the Crown................................................. 7

Part 3—Australia’s multicultural policy                                                                   8

10.......... Australia’s multicultural policy........................................................... 8

Part 4—Implementation of Australia’s multicultural policy                        9

Division 1—Application of Australia’s multicultural policy                     9

11.......... Commonwealth entities to recognise, promote and comply with Australia’s multicultural policy            9

12.......... Multicultural policy application orders for corporate Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies        9

Division 2—Reporting                                                                                                 11

13.......... Annual reporting by Commonwealth entities.................................... 11

14.......... Annual reporting by Commonwealth companies.............................. 12

Part 5—Australian Multicultural Commission                                                   13

Division 1—Establishment and functions                                                          13

15.......... Australian Multicultural Commission............................................... 13

16.......... Functions of the Commission........................................................... 13

17.......... General powers of the Commission.................................................. 14

18.......... General policy guidelines for the Commission.................................. 14

19.......... Flexibility and range of working methods in performance of Commission’s functions           15

Division 2—Constitution and operation                                                            16

20.......... Members of the Commission............................................................ 16

21.......... Validity of decisions......................................................................... 17

22.......... Chair of the Commission.................................................................. 17

23.......... Staff of the Commission................................................................... 17

24.......... Deputy Chair of the Commission...................................................... 18

25.......... Acting Chair of the Commission....................................................... 18

26.......... When the Commission is to meet...................................................... 18

27.......... Procedure at meetings....................................................................... 18

Division 3—Inquiries                                                                                                   20

28.......... Matters in relation to which the Commission may conduct inquiries 20

29.......... Commission not to inquire into conduct of intelligence agencies...... 20

30.......... Main purpose of inquiry is to make recommendations...................... 20

31.......... Initiating inquiries............................................................................. 21

32.......... Commission’s general discretion as to how to conduct inquiries...... 21

33.......... Commission to report to Minister on inquiry.................................... 21

34.......... Minister to table report on inquiry in Parliament............................... 22

Part 6—Miscellaneous                                                                                                        23

35.......... Delegation......................................................................................... 23

36.......... Annual report.................................................................................... 23

37.......... Legislative rules................................................................................ 23

 

A Bill for an Act to establish the Australian Multicultural Commission, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts: