The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
That:
(1) a House Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services be appointed to inquire into and report on:
(a) the implementation, performance and appropriateness of Workforce Australia Employment Services;
(b) the extent to which Workforce Australia Employment Services delivers services in a way that is fair, leaves no one behind, respects individuals' diverse needs, and supports job seekers into secure work, in particular, its support for long term unemployed and young people; and
(c) other matters in relation to Workforce Australia Employment Services;
(2) the committee presents its final report by no later than 29 September 2023;
(3) the committee may choose to table an interim report at any time;
(4) the committee consist of:
(a) seven voting members, four Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips, and one cross-bench member to be nominated by the Opposition Whip; and
(b) two supplementary (non-voting) members (one Government, one non-Government) who may be substituted from time to time as advised by the Government Whip or Whips (in the case of a supplementary Government member) and the Opposition Whip or Whips (in the case of a supplementary non-Government member);
(5) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(6) the members of the committee hold office as a House select committee until presentation of the committee's final report or the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time, whichever is the earlier;
(7) the committee elect a:
(a) Government member as its chair; and
(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;
(8) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;
(9) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;
(10) three members of the committee including at least one Government member constitute a quorum of the committee;
(11) the committee:
(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine or conduct public hearings; and
(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a casting vote only;
(12) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;
(13) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee including at least one government member;
(14) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;
(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:
(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;
(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;
(c) sit in public or in private;
(d) report from time to time; and
(e) adjourn from time to time and sit during any adjournment of the House of Representatives; and
(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.
That standing order 192 be amended as follows:
Figure 4. Federation Chamber indicative order of business
The meeting times of the Federation Chamber are fixed by the Deputy Speaker and are subject to change. Times shown for the start and finish of items of business are approximate. Adjournment debates can occur on days other than Thursdays by agreement between the Whips.
Custom Tariff Proposal (No. 2) 2022.
Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 3) 2022
Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 4) 2022
Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 5) 2022.
That members be appointed as members of certain committees in accordance with the list that has been placed on the table
Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment (Selection and Appointment) Bill 2022
… is of the view that the process currently enshrined in the Law is not sufficiently broad and transparent. In particular, it does not:
…that the process currently enshrined in the Federal Constitutional Law is not sufficiently broad and transparent. In particular, the process does not:
All Afghans should be able to enjoy their fundamental human rights. These rights are indivisible and inalienable, expressed in international human rights law, and endorsed by all members of the United Nations.
The Australian Human Rights Commission (Commission) has long advocated for these reforms to strengthen the integrity and independence of the Commission and unreservedly supports the passage of the Bill and the proposal for accompanying guidelines.
The existing legislation is not sufficient to support the legitimacy of the Commission, as it does not require all statutory appointments to be conducted through robust, merit-based processes. This affects public confidence and trust in the Commission and its appointed Commissioners.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has advocated for these reforms for some time and unreservedly supports the passage of the Bill as a priority.
One of the key findings of the Commission's work is that the existing system of federal discrimination law is primarily geared towards the remedial aspects of the obligations to respect and protect, and even with this as its main focus, it falls short of realising effective remediation for discrimination.
That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House calls on the Government to establish a Human Rights Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ people within the Australian Human Rights Commission".
Treasury Laws Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022
That the question be now put.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022
It gives opportunity for the more senior people in families and the Elders and some of the Aboriginal communities to use the money on food for the kids and other things …
It just seems to settle the community down and gives them better opportunity to spend their money on priority needs.
I made a mistake. I'm human. But when I make a mistake, I'll fess up to it and I'll set about correcting that mistake. I won't blame someone else, I'll accept responsibility, that's what leaders do.
The impact of rising interest rates and inflation on family budgets.
There is something unspeakably sinister about a machine that does nothing—absolutely nothing—except switch itself off.
While Chalmers'—
economic statement drips with rhetorical empathy for battlers, it fails to explain how he plans to reconcile these conflicting priorities.
Australian Human Rights Commission Legislation Amendment (Selection and Appointment) Bill 2022
The House divided. [16:29]
(The Speaker—Mr Dick)
That this bill be now read a third time.
Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022
Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022
The House divided. [17:47]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022
Change is difficult. Change will be hard. Change will be controversial. But change is absolutely necessary. It is absolutely worth the attempt. We have an opportunity with the cashless debit card to make change for our community.
Social Services established appropriate arrangements for consultation, communicating with communities and for governance of the implementation of CDCT. Social Services was responsive to operational issues as they arose during the trial.
… we see the removal of the cashless debit card, which allowed countless families on welfare to feed their children rather than seeing the money claimed by kinship demand from alcoholics, substance abusers and gamblers in their own family group.
It almost seems they—
are putting the cart before the horse.
I would have liked for them to come here, consult with us, consult with the community, and then make a decision.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the card had been beneficial in remote communities.
"It gives opportunity for the more senior people in families and the Elders and some of the Aboriginal communities to use the money on food for the kids and other things," he said.
"It just seems to settle the community down and gives them better opportunity to spend their money on priority needs."
… more than four years on from the beginning of the CDC trial, circumstances in the East Kimberley today represent an improvement on the lived experience of people before the trial began in April 2016.
Our support is grounded by our ongoing community consultations with trial sites since the establishment of the CDC. We continue to see the incredible positive impacts the CDC is making for individuals, families, and communities, and wish to see this continue.
It gives opportunity for the more senior people in families and the elders and some of the Aboriginal communities to use the money on food for the kids and other things.
It just seems to settle the community down and gives them better opportunity to spend their money on priority needs.
Department of Social Services develops internal performance measures and targets to better monitor CDC program implementation and impact.
Extensive community consultation will continue on the broader question of income management, to explore the future of this and other supports that are needed in communities in line with our core principles.
These diverse perspective on local needs will strongly inform our next steps. Consultation is central to everything we will do as a government. We want to ensure changes or measures we implement are actually helping.
I would have liked for them to come here, consult with us, consult with the community, and then make a decision.
It gives opportunity for the more senior people in families and the Elders and some of the Aboriginal communities to use the money on food for the kids and other things.
It just seems to settle the community down and gives them better opportunity to spend their money on priority needs.
… more than four years on from the beginning of the CDC trial, circumstances in the East Kimberley today represent an improvement on the lived experience of people before the trial began in April 2016.
Our support is grounded by our ongoing community consultations with trial sites since the establishment of the CDC. We continue to see the incredible positive impacts the CDC is making for individuals, families, and communities, and wish to see this continue.
We accept that there are some people with deeply held ideological or political views who reject the CDC—
'on-principle' and these people will point to all the things that are still challenges for our community as a justification for their opposition. The reality is that many challenges persist because they have been so many decades in the making and will take decades to turnaround.
… more than four years on from the beginning of the CDC trial, circumstances in the East Kimberley today represent an improvement on the lived experience of people before the trial began in April 2016.
They bring with them their sicknesses and morbidities, all aggravated by continual self-neglect and the excessive consumption of … cheap alcohol.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Buchholz ) took the chair at 16:00.
Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022
It does not fit into our customary law. It seems to be seen as a form of sorcery, that you are doing something to somebody else. You cannot create a law within a parliament to take somebody else's life.
The last thing we all, Aboriginal people, need is another avenue to death. I don't want another death sentence for all my people and all of Australia.
… more needs to be done to ensure that First Nations people are receiving palliative care within their communities. Where First Nations people are already overrepresented at every stage of our health system, it is irresponsible to vote in favour of another avenue to death. Paving the way for euthanasia and assisted suicide leaves First Nations people even more vulnerable, when our focus should be on working collectively to create laws that help prolong life and restore their right to enjoy a healthy life.
People say voluntary-assisted dying is about giving patients a choice, but if dying patients cannot access the palliative care services they need, they really don't have a free choice. We need to do more to ensure that everyone who needs good quality palliative care can access it, wherever they are and whatever their circumstances, before considering a momentous step like euthanasia.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
… simply having the option to choose assisted dying has a palliative effect in and of itself by enabling people at the end of life to reclaim control of their situation.
Van Baarsen's scruples have crystallised in the country's first euthanasia malpractice case, which prosecutors are now preparing—
It involves a dementia sufferer who asked to be killed when the time was right, but when her doctor judged this to be the case, she resisted.
The patient had to be drugged and restrained by her family before she finally submitted to the doctor's fatal injection.
The doctor who administered the dose, who has not been identified, has defended her actions by saying that she was fulfilling her patient's request and that, since the patient was incompetent, her protests before her death were irrelevant.
Between October 2007 and December 2011, 100 people went to a clinic in Belgium's Dutch-speaking region with depression, or schizophrenia, or, in several cases, Asperger's syndrome, seeking euthanasia. The doctors, satisfied that 48 of the patients were in earnest, and that their conditions were "untreatable" and "unbearable," …
The Uluru Statement is a hand outstretched, a moving show of faith in Australian decency and Australian fairness from people who have been given every reason to forsake their hope in both.
Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?
I believe there is room in Australian hearts for the Statement from the Heart.
The natural world is not separate from the human world—it is the source of our food, water, air and raw materials. Our culture and wellbeing are interwoven with the places where we live and walk. Ongoing environmental decline also has negative … impacts on industries, businesses, regions and individuals.