The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Scott Ryan) took the chair at 09:30, read prayers and made an acknowledgement of country.
That the following matter be referred to the Senate Committee of Privileges for inquiry and report:
Having regard to the statements made to the Senate by Senators Patrick and Lambie on 16 September 2019 and the documents tabled by the President on 18 September 2019:
(a) whether there was any attempt to improperly interfere with the free performance by any senator of their duties as a senator;
(b) whether there was any attempt to improperly influence any senator in their conduct as a senator, by intimidation, force or threat of any kind; and
(c) if so, whether any contempt was committed in respect of those matters.
That the Senate take note of the explanation.
I know some people will see everything I do through the lens of my birthplace, but I hope that they will see more than just the first Chinese woman elected to this place. I hope they will see me as a strong advocate for everyone in Chisholm.
Australians are in greater danger now that you've played the race card to defend Liberal MP Gladys Liu.
Australians are in greater danger now that you've played the race card to defend Liberal MP Gladys Liu.
Why it is choosing this path is a mystery to even some of Labor's own MPs who have privately expressed their disgust considering their own candidate for the same seat, Chinese Australian Jennifer Yang, has told the Liberals that she been thrown on the scrap heap by the Labor Party.
When a crisis erupts in a developing country—
… is typical of Western news agencies that purposely set out to create maximum change at minimum cost by shaping public opinion at critical moments. In light of this action, Reuters has severely deviated from the bottom line of journalism ethics that all news agencies should follow. It has carried out what US and British intelligence agencies usually do.
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extend Family Assistance to ABSTUDY Secondary School Boarding Students Aged 16 and Over) Bill 2019
Out in community, there's misinformation about Abstudy: what purpose it serves, how it works, how it functions or how it doesn't function. It exists not only with families in the bush but also with community administration and with schools in the bush, and that just perpetuates itself.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Members' Interests First) Bill 2019
Compulsory superannuation is one of the biggest con jobs ever foisted by government on the Australian people … The government is making us worse off now so that it will be better off in the future.
Instead of workers sending 1 per cent of their wages to companies that show little interest in meeting their responsibilities, the money could be redirected to a national insurance scheme.
Claims could be capped at modest but suitable levels. Death policies would cover funeral costs and liabilities—to a degree—for those without dependants, and then increase depending on the spouse or the number of dependants. Income protection claims could be better regulated to reflect the reality of forgone wages in the event of an injury.
… … …
The government wouldn't even have to underwrite a national insurance scheme—
It could just provide the policy parameters, the administration, and the industry could still take on the risk—and conversely, any reward.
Fund A has 177,742 active members with a balance under $6,000. Approximately 75% of these members are women. Their average age is 36 years old. A majority of these members have dependents. Under the proposed changes, these members will potentially lose … $500,000 in combined default death and long-term income protection.
It takes members of Fund A approximately 2 years to reach a superannuation balance of $6,000 – this reflects the industry sector Fund A services, and the low wages … Like most people, a majority of these members do not have personal insurance … outside superannuation.
Due to demographic factors, 6% of members of Fund A never reach a superannuation balance of $6,000. For these members, the insurance component of their super is far more valuable than the additional retirement benefit that would have accrued—
… Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples encounter needless difficulties to do with identification and about binding death nominations.
If the Government proceeds with the proposed changes, the implementation date is unimplementable and will result in member confusion and detriment. It is proposed that the commencement date of 1 July 2020 would allow funds to renegotiate insurance contracts on reasonable terms, make relevant system changes and properly inform members, but under no circumstances should it be sooner than 6 months after royal assent.
This service and the staff were all that held me together through multiple incidents of family violence and consistent failures of the justice and prison system. I could not have done it without the experienced and dedicated staff. These workers listened to the most intimate details of the abuse I experienced. They respected my personal experience and supported me to begin to heal.
a) to stem the flow of cash that is expended on substance abuse and gambling; and
b) to ensure funds that are provided for the welfare of children are actually expended in this way—
This feels like the Howard era Intervention all over again …
This directly opposes recent commitments by the Federal Government and COAG to work with us in partnership on Closing the Gap.
It will add to the negative effects of the Intervention in our communities, not only taking away peoples control over their lives but by making it harder for small Indigenous businesses who may not be able to accept the card to survive.
We are innovative and we are always striving for best practice and government just doesn't seem to recognise that …
… with aged care, we have a royal commission and I am keen to see more in-home care services established.
That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Families and Social Services (Senator Ruston) to questions without notice asked by Senators Brown and Gallagher today relating to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Steele-John today relating to climate change protests.
That leave of absence be granted to Senator Fierravanti-Wells for 18 and 19 September 2019, for personal reasons.
That I be granted leave of absence for tomorrow, 19 September, for personal reasons.
That—
(a) the address-in-reply be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General by the President and senators who wish to accompany him; and
(b) on Thursday, 19 September 2019, the Senate adjourn at 4.30 pm, for the purpose of presenting the address-in-reply to the Governor General.
That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report as soon as reasonably possible:
Australian High Commission Property Replacement Project in Tarawa, Kiribati.
That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report as soon as reasonably possible:
Shoalwater Bay Training Area Remediation Project.
That the Senate—
(a) notes:
(i) the contribution to the school community made by Mr Adrian Drane, formerly principal of Marist Regional College in Burnie, and
(ii) the contribution made by Mr Drane to the broader community, including his efforts to help homelessness, those impacted by Tasmanian bushfires, and more recently, to work with survivors of child sexual abuse;
(b) further notes that, on the first day of school each year, Mr Drane took it upon himself to memorise not only the name of every starting student, but also how to spell it;
(c) notes with sadness that Mr Drane passed away on 15 September 2019 from pancreatic cancer, far too young; and
(d) expresses its condolences to Mr Drane's family, friends and school at this difficult time, and recognises he lived a life informed by his faith, devoted fully to nurturing, defending and celebrating the fundamental goodness in others.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) there are thousands of grandparents across Australia taking on the primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren,
(ii) as at June 2018, 50% of children in relative/kinship placements were living with their grandparents, and
(iii) recent research out of Western Australia found that grandparent carers are predominantly single older women, living on low incomes, raising an average of three grandchildren;
(b) recognises many grandparent carers are experiencing significant financial stress;
(c) acknowledges grandparent carers who have primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren generally do not receive the same level of financial assistance as foster carers; and
(d) calls on all levels of Government to work together with the goal that grandparent carers receive adequate and appropriate support payments to support the children they are caring for.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) on 14 September 2019, the National Party voted to oppose the recovery of 450 gigalitres (GL) of water under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan,
(ii) the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management (Mr Littleproud) has previously promised this water would be returned to the river in full, and
(iii) the 450 GL was negotiated by South Australia as an essential part of delivering the Plan in full;
(b) condemns the National Party for opposing the delivery of 450 GL of environmental water to the Murray-Darling river system; and
(c) supports the delivery of the agreed 450 GL of water to the Murray- Darling, as required under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction has publicly threatened to use his so-called 'big stick' legislation to force state governments to privatise publicly-owned power assets,
(ii) the Member for Hinkler and other National Party MPs have stated that divestment powers are "urgently needed to deal with the state power monopoly in Queensland", and
(iii) privatisation of publicly-owned power assets has led to higher power prices for consumers; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to rule out privatisation of publicly-owned power assets in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.
That the Senate declares that anyone who sacks their workers for going to the climate strikes is a bum.
The Senate divided. [15:46]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) Meat Free Week, organised by Bowel Cancer Australia, runs from 23 to 29 September 2019, and challenges participants to give up meat for seven days,
(ii) intensive animal agriculture is not only cruel to animals, but is a key contributor to the climate crisis, and
(iii) reducing the amount of meat we consume is better for our health, better for animal welfare and better for the environment; and
(b) congratulates the organisers of Meat Free Week, and encourages people to reduce their meat consumption to improve their health and for the good of animals and the planet.
The Senate/committee divided. [15:54]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the Environment and Communications References Committee tabled a report of its inquiry into the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program on 14 February 2019, making seven recommendations, and
(ii) the President's report to the Senate on the status of government responses to parliamentary committee reports as at 30 June 2019, indicates that a government response to the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program report has not been tabled; and
(b) orders that there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, by 5 pm on 14 October 2019, the government's response to the recommendations of the report.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the winter crop is failing along the Murray River irrigation area owing to poor winter rains,
(ii) if this crop fails, farmers who have invested in plantings will be in serious financial difficulty and the regional communities they support will be devastated,
(iii) the potential loss of wheat and fodder will take food off the tables of consumers nationally, and necessitate food imports, eventually leading to higher prices for everyday Australians, and
(iv) currently there is 3,600 GL of water in storage in the Hume and Dartmouth dams – the spring snow thaw and rains have started and the inflow into those dams has begun; and
(b) calls on the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, (Mr Littleproud) to immediately release 200 GL of water from storage, for irrigation by general security licence holders to save the winter crop and to save rural communities.
The Senate divided. [16:00]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
(1) That the Senate notes that clause 2.4 of the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards (the Standards) provides: "Except with the express approval of the Prime Minister, Ministers will resign or decline directorships of public or private companies and businesses on taking up office as a Minister. Approval to retain a directorship of a private company or business will be granted only if the Prime Minister is satisfied, on the advice of the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, that no conflict of interest is likely to arise. (emphasis added).
(2) That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, by no later than 12 pm on 19 September 2019, the following documents:
(a) details of all approvals given to current ministers under clause 2.4 of the Standards allowing a minister to retain or accept directorships of public or private companies, including:
(i) who the approval was granted to,
(ii) details of the relevant company,
(iii) when the approval was granted,
(iv) details of any advice received from the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in relation to the approval, and
(v) any reasons given in support of the approval; and
(b) details of all applications made by current ministers for approval under clause 2.4 of the Standards where the Prime Minister refused to grant approval for the minister to retain or accept a directorship of a public or private company, including:
(i) who made the application,
(ii) details of the relevant company,
(iii) when the application was refused,
(iv) any advice received from the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in relation to the application, and
(v) any reasons given in support of the refusal.
The Senate divided. [16:09]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
(1) That a joint select committee, to be known as the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Family Law System, be established to inquire into and report on the following matters:
(a) ongoing issues and further improvements relating to the interaction and information sharing between the family law system and state and territory child protection systems, and family and domestic violence jurisdictions, including:
(i) the process, and evidential and legal standards and onuses of proof, in relation to the granting of domestic violence orders and apprehended violence orders, and
(ii) the visibility of, and consideration given to, domestic violence orders and apprehended violence orders in family law proceedings;
(b) the appropriateness of family court powers to ensure parties in family law proceedings provide truthful and complete evidence, and the ability of the court to make orders for non-compliance and the efficacy of the enforcement of such orders;
(c) beyond the proposed merger of the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court any other reform that may be needed to the family law and the current structure of the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court;
(d) the financial costs to families of family law proceedings, and options to reduce the financial impact, with particular focus on those instances where legal fees incurred by parties are disproportionate to the total property pool in dispute or are disproportionate to the objective level of complexity of parenting issues, and with consideration being given amongst other things to banning 'disappointment fees', and:
(i) capping total fees by reference to the total pool of assets in dispute, or any other regulatory option to prevent disproportionate legal fees being charged in family law matters, and
(ii) any mechanisms to improve the timely, efficient and effective resolution of property disputes in family law proceedings;
(e) the effectiveness of the delivery of family law support services and family dispute resolution processes;
(f) the impacts of family law proceedings on the health, safety and wellbeing of children and families involved in those proceedings;
(g) any issues arising for grandparent carers in family law matters and family law court proceedings;
(h) any further avenues to improve the performance and monitoring of professionals involved in family law proceedings and the resolution of disputes, including agencies, family law practitioners, family law experts and report writers, the staff and judicial officers of the courts, and family dispute resolution practitioners;
(i) any improvements to the interaction between the family law system and the child support system;
(j) the potential usage of pre-nuptial agreements and their enforceability to minimise future property disputes; and
(k) any related matters.
(2) That the committee consist of 10 members:
(a) 3 members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips;
(b) 2 members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips;
(c) 1 member of the House of Representatives to be nominated by any minority party or independent member;
(d) 2 senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;
(e) 1 senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate; and
(f) 1 senator to be nominated by Pauline Hanson's One Nation.
(3) That participating members may be appointed to the committee, may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of a member of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee.
(4) That every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(5) That the members of the committee hold office as a joint select committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time.
(6) That the committee elect as its chair a member nominated by the Government Whip or Whips.
(7) That the committee elect a 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, and 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.
(8) That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, has a casting vote.
(9) That 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include 1 Government member of either House and 1 non-Government member of either House.
(10) That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or more of its members, and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine.
(11) That the committee appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a casting vote only, and 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.
(12) That 2 members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include 1 Government member of either House and 1 non-Government member of either House.
(13) That 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.
(14) That the committee or any subcommittee have power to call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced.
(15) That the committee or any subcommittee may conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit and sit in public or private.
(16) That the committee or any subcommittee have power to adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(17) That the committee may report from time to time, but that it present its final report by no later than 7 October 2020.
(18) That the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.
(19) That a message be sent to the House of Representatives seeking its concurrence in this resolution.
The Senate divided. [16:21]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) 31 August marked International Overdose Awareness Day, commemorating all those who have died or been seriously injured due to drug overdose,
(ii) every year, more and more young Australians tragically, and avoidably, die at music festivals after taking pills that had not been tested, and
(iii) pill testing saves lives, by providing information to young people about the drugs they are considering taking; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to urgently address the rising rates of harm associated with drug use by implementing and appropriately resourcing evidence-based harm reduction policies, including:
(i) provide funding for pill testing trials during this year's summer festival season and in the community,
(ii) working with state and territory governments to cease the use of drug sniffer dogs at festivals,
(iii) greater access to needle and syringe programs across the country, including urgent roll-out of trials inside prisons,
(iv) expanded access to medically supervised injecting facilities across Australia, and
(v) promoting awareness of the life-saving opioid reversal drug, Naloxone, highlighting its availability over the counter in pharmacies.
The Senate divided. [16:26]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the speartooth shark ( Glyphis glyphis ) is listed as critically endangered; and three species of sawfish (Pristis pristis ,Pristis zijsron , andPristis clavata ) are listed as vulnerable on theEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 List of Threatened Fauna, and these species are also listed as globally endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species,
(ii) the Commonwealth Government's Sawfish and River Sharks Multispecies Recovery Plan identifies fishing activities, including by-catch, as a threat to sawfish and the speartooth shark,
(iii) all habitat where these species have been recorded in the Gulf of Carpentaria is considered critical to the survival of these species, and habitat critical to the survival of these species overlaps with commercial net fishing activity,
(iv) the Gulf of Carpentaria Inshore Fin Fish Fishery (GoCIFFF) is a Queensland managed commercial fishery,
(v) the Queensland Government's Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027 outlines its commitment to the reform of fisheries management, and
(vi) the Minister for the Environment is currently considering the ecological sustainability of the GoCIFFF for export approval; and
(b) calls on the Minister for the Environment to ensure that, should the fishery be re-accredited for export approval, time-bound conditions are attached to protect these species, including:
(i) a requirement to ensure an independent observer and monitoring program is implemented by January 2020, and
(ii) the introduction of fishery management measures to reduce capture of sawfish and speartooth sharks in areas of critical habitat.
1. Paragraph (b), after ''species'' insert ''in line with the Commonwealth Government's effective implementation of the Sawfish and River Sharks Multispecies Recovery Plan''
2. Subparagraph (b)(i), after ''implemented'' insert ''as soon as practicable, with a progress report to the Federal Government on implementation''
The Senate divided. [16:34]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
The Senate divided. [16:39]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that new research from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling at the University of Canberra found that:
(i) the income gap between households with disability and households without is $107 a week for a household with an adult member with disability,
(ii) two of every five First Nations households relying on the Disability Support Pension as their source of income ran out of money for basic living expenses in the last 12 months, and
(iii) to close the gap in household income to provide the same standard of living, families already receiving the Disability Support Pension would need $183 more per week on average, and $343 for 200,000 disabled people receiving Newstart;
(b) recognises that the financial cost of living with disability and the declining access to the Disability Support Pension is causing significant economic, social and psychological stress and unnecessary hardship for disabled people;
(c) acknowledges that there are a significant number of disabled people and their families who are living at or below the poverty line; and
(d) calls on the Federal Government to ensure the eligibility process for the Disability Support Pension is fair, reasonable, accessible, equitable and does not generate financial hardship and economic insecurity for disabled people and their support networks.
Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion:
The Liberals' record of inaction and cuts, which over the last six years has led to Australia's broken aged care system.
The overland telegraph line is steeped in history, adventure and romance, and must rank as one of the greatest accomplishments in Australia's pioneering history. Before the line was built, the only form of communication Australia had with the outside world was by ship. And even with the advent of steam, mail took a minimum of six weeks between England and Australia. It took 18 months to construct 2,000 miles of telephone line through what was virtually an unknown wilderness with bullock wagons, pack horses and camels …
Notwithstanding all these difficulties and dangers … a steady stream of emigration from the pastoral district of Queensland flowed into the richly grassed and well watered lands of the Northern Territory. All that was needed to make squatting a success, when the young stock was matured, was a suitable market, and this it was hoped would be found in India, Java, and the Strait settlements.
Two infant boys and a four months old baby girl, fifty k's from our nearest neighbour and no outside communication.
2000 square k's of virgin land. There was no infrastructure, no permanent water, no power; no roads, no fences.
"Home" was a tarpaulin strung between two trees by a waterhole. Cooking was done over an open fire, bread, in a camp oven on hot coals … in the ground.
Washing—by hand in the waterhole. At night, light was provided by hurricane lamps, firelight and the moon.
Fresh water was collected in 44 gallon drums from a bore on the neighbouring property 30 k's away.
Australia's aged care sector has come under close scrutiny in recent weeks following concerns that some providers have placed profit before the welfare of the elderly.
Why, when he was treasurer, in his first budget, did the now Prime Minister cut $1.2 billion from aged care? How did cutting $1.2 billion from aged care support the dignity of vulnerable older Australians?
In making his claim, Mr Shorten specifically referred to Mr Morrison's first budget as treasurer, which was for 2016-17. As previously mentioned—
that year the government announced $1.2 billion of "efficiencies" (partly offset by more money in the budget for regional aged care and information services).
That announcement followed a $2.5 billion increase in the expected cost of the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI), the main Commonwealth funding mechanism to subsidise aged care service providers, since the budget update just six months earlier.
According to Budget Paper No. 2 (page 101)—
"This measure is part of the Government's response to the continued higher than expected growth in ACFI expenditure, which has increased by a further $2.5 billion over the forward estimates since the 2015-16 MYEFO …
That the Senate take note of the document.
PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
TABLING STATEMENT
Wednesday, 18 September 2019
I rise to speak to the tabling of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights' Scrutiny Report 5 of 2019 .
This report contains a credible technical examination of legislation with Australia's obligations under international human rights law, as required under the committee's statutory mandate. It sets out the committee's consideration of 16 bills introduced into the Parliament between 9 September and 12 September 2019, and seven legislative instruments registered on the Federal Register of Legislation between 2 August and 8 August 2019. The committee is seeking further information in relation to three bills and has also reiterated its previous comments in relation to two bills.
I would like to note that the committee has adopted a new approach to reporting on private members' and senators' bills. The committee has resolved that where such bills appear to engage and may limit human rights it will generally list those bills in the 'Advice Only' section of the report, but not substantively comment on them. But should the bills proceed to further stages of debate the committee may request further information from the legislation proponent as to the human rights compatibility of the bill. The current report provides an example of this approach. The National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2) was introduced by a private senator, however, as the bill passed the Senate on 9 September 2019 and is now before the House, the committee is now seeking advice from the legislation proponent.
The committee has also made concluding remarks in relation to five legislative instruments and two bills. Two of these instruments, the Australian Crime Commission Regulations 2018 and the Fisheries Management Regulations 2019, both allow for personal identifying information about persons suspected of crimes to be shared overseas. The committee has raised concerns in relation to both of these instruments about the lack of policy or guidelines in place to prevent such information being shared overseas where there is a risk that disclosing such information could expose a person to the death penalty or to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The committee has recommended that consideration be given to developing guidelines or legislative amendments to help ensure that information is not shared overseas in such circumstances. This is an issue the committee will continue to monitor.
With these comments, I commend the committee's Report 5 of 2019 to the Senate.
That the Senate take note of the report.
Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019
Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019
That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time.
That these bills be now read a second time.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND BILL 2019
The Liberal-National Government provides substantial assistance to communities across Australia that have been significantly affected by a natural disaster.
The Emergency Response Fund is a long-term investment to provide an additional source of sustainable funding for emergency response and recovery following a natural disaster that has a significant or catastrophic impact in Australia.
The Emergency Response Fund is designed to support the delivery of projects and services and promote the adoption of technology directed towards achieving recovery from natural disasters.
The type of assistance provided could include, but is not limited to, additional recovery grants and support to affected communities or industry sectors to help their recovery and to build their resilience to future natural disasters.
This bill establishes the Emergency Response Fund and provides an initial credit of $4.0 billion. The government intends to grow the Fund to provide a new, secure funding source to complement existing natural disaster recovery programs.
In the event that a community is significantly or catastrophically impacted by a natural disaster, the Government will have access to a maximum of $150 million per year to fund recovery measures.
This funding is over and above the funding already made available by the Liberal-National Government to assist communities across Australia recover from natural disasters, such as the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and Disaster Recovery Allowance. The Government has paid on average $1.1 billion per year over the past ten years on disaster recovery assistance.
The Fund will only be accessed when the Government determines existing recovery programs are insufficient to meet the scale of the response required.
Payments from the Emergency Response Fund will be available from 2019-20 and will be limited to $150 million to protect the balance of the Fund into the future. This limit will be reassessed within 10 years, to determine whether the Fund could support a higher maximum annual disbursement.
The Emergency Response Fund will be managed by the Future Fund Board of Guardians, which has a proven track record of managing investment portfolios on behalf of the Government and maximising returns over the long term.
The bill requires the Treasurer and the Minister for Finance to issue directions setting out the Government's expectations as to how the Fund will be managed and invested by the Board, including setting a benchmark rate of return for the Fund.
The design of disaster response and recovery funding programs will be considered by the Minister for Emergency Management and will be informed by advice from the Commonwealth's expert on Natural Disaster Management, the Director General of Emergency Management Australia.
The Director General is highly qualified for this role and is responsible for coordinating the Australian Government's physical and financial support for disasters. In preparing advice for the Minister, the Director General will consult with the state and or local governments and communities affected by the disaster, and any other expert, to determine the needs of the community and identify any additional recovery assistance that would be beneficial.
All funding decisions will comply with the Commonwealth's established rules and guidelines on grants and procurements. Detailed information on grants and arrangements under the Emergency Response Fund will be published on the Department of Home Affairs' website.
The Government has been absolutely clear that the use of the dormant Education Investment Fund to deliver the Emergency Response Fund will have absolutely no impact on the funding provided by the Government for education infrastructure.
The Government is committed to a world-class higher education system and is investing a record $17.7 billion in the university sector in 2019. This is projected to grow to more than $19 billion by 2022. The Government has recently made significant investments into education infrastructure projects including $150 million to support the relocation and redevelopment of the University of Tasmania's Launceston and Burnie campuses and a further $30 million earmarked for the establishment of a new Central Queensland School of Mining and Manufacturing.
The Government has made its education investments without needing to draw from the Education Investment Fund. The last commitment was announced in 2013 and all commitments have been paid.
Helping our communities across Australia face the challenges of recovering from natural disasters is a priority of this Government and, because we have made substantial education infrastructure commitments, we are in a position to build a sustainable source of additional funding to help communities recover from the impacts of natural disaster.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND (CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2019
The Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 facilitates the establishment of the Emergency Response Fund through amendments to related legislation.
The consequential amendments to these acts enable the effective operation of the Emergency Response Fund at commencement, including the abolition of the Education Investment Fund.
Commencement and further details can be found in the explanatory memorandum.
National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Amendment Bill 2019
That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.
That this bill be now read a second time.
This Bill introduces amendments to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to implement the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and establish a new research function within the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation.
The Bill expands the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation's functions to enable it to provide guarantees to improve access to home ownership, and undertake research into housing affordability, including supply and demand.
It has become increasingly challenging for first home buyers to save a deposit to purchase their first home, despite their ability to service the loan, especially given historically low interest rates and relatively high housing price-to income ratios.
Based on median household income and a 15 per cent saving rate (on before tax income), it takes approximately eight years to save a 20 per cent deposit on a median priced home.
That is why the Government is backing first home buyers through the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme. The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme is designed to facilitate earlier access to home ownership for first home buyers, including those in rural and regional Australia.
The Government will provide direction on the operation of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and the research function component through an expansion of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation's Investment Mandate. The Investment Mandate will include details of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, such as eligibility requirements.
As announced by the Prime Minister during the election campaign, from 1 January 2020, eligible first home buyers will be able to enter the housing market sooner. Up to 10,000 guarantees per year will allow eligible first home buyers to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent.
Applicants will be subject to eligibility criteria, including taxable incomes up to $125,000 per annum for singles and up to $200,000 per annum for couples in the previous year, must be Australian citizens purchasing property in Australia and must be taking out owner-occupied loans on a principal and interest basis.
Properties purchased under the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will be subject to regional price caps. Regional price caps will be set with a view to ensuring equitable access to the Scheme across Australia.
The coverage of the guarantee will be broadly consistent with parental guarantee products offered by some lenders. The guarantee will remain in place until a loan is refinanced or the outstanding loan balance falls below 80 per cent of the property purchase price - whichever comes first.
Access to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will occur as part of the normal home loan application process, with limited additional effort involved for first home buyers seeking a guaranteed loan
In addition to its role in administering the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation will take on a new research function to examine housing demand, supply and affordability in Australia. The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation will establish close relationships with other research organisations to ensure its research efforts on housing affordability are focused where they are most needed and that they complement existing housing-related research.
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and new research function are intended to complement other existing measures the Government has taken to reduce pressure on housing affordability including the First Home Super Saver Scheme, announced in 2017, which assists individuals to build a deposit for a first home inside their superannuation fund by making voluntary contributions. This is in addition to other measures the Government has implemented to improve housing affordability such as the City Deals, encouraging additional supply of dwellings. These measures combined with the First Home Loan Deposit's Scheme's role in reducing the hurdle involved in putting together a sufficient deposit without the need for Lenders Mortgage Insurance will go a long way to help make the dreams of first home buyers a reality sooner.
Full details of the measure are contained in the Explanatory Memorandum.
Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Bill 2019
Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Members' Interests First) Bill 2019
APRA considers an appropriate implementation timeframe would be, at minimum, 6 months but preferably 12 months …
If the Government proceeds with the proposed changes, the implementation date is unimplementable and will result in member confusion and detriment. It is proposed that the commencement date of 1 July 2020 would allow funds to renegotiate insurance contracts on reasonable terms, make relevant system changes and properly inform members, but under no circumstances should it be sooner than 6 months after royal assent.
… due to the short timeframe for removing cover for inactive members, the response from affected members was overwhelming and our expanded contact centre was unable to cope with the volume of calls …
… … …
Whilst losing cover may provide significant benefits from not eroding account balances for the majority of members, a failure to make an informed decision to continue cover for members with financial commitments and dependents may have dire financial consequences for those unfortunate enough to die or become disabled.
… the compressed timeframe for implementing the PYS changes caused confusion among consumers. Following soon after with similar changes may further undermine trust and confidence in the system, particularly given call centres are still receiving enquiries about PYS.
Nearly 30 per cent of workers under 25 years or approximately 340,000 employees, are employed in occupations and industries that are inherently hazardous. Some industries are extraordinarily hazardous. In 2016, half (50%) of worker fatalities occurred within the Transport, postal and warehousing and Agriculture, forestry and fishing industries.
There was an unholy accord, for want of a better expression, between Bill Kelty and Paul Keating back in about 1991 when they decided to introduce compulsory superannuation, rather than a pay rise, for the unionised workforces.
• members in these high-risk occupations are often ineligible for retail insurance coverage and are uninsurable outside of group insurance offerings; …
…the response from affected members was overwhelming and our expanded contact centre was unable to cope with the volume of calls and provide what we would consider an acceptable service to affected members.
Requiring superannuation funds to implement the changes in the required timeframe will pose significant challenges for industry, particularly given the extent and complexity of the changes that will need to be undertaken …
… it is critical that the PMIF Bill provides for appropriately targeted transitional arrangements that provide superannuation funds with sufficient time to take the necessary steps to implement the reforms in a manner that minimises any unintended consequences, particularly for members.
By denying these workers default group insurance, when things go wrong, they will be likely to have to rely on the health and social welfare system.
That at the end of the motion, add:
", and the bill be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 11 October 2019."
APRA considers an appropriate implementation time frame would be at a minimum six months, but preferably 12 months.
If the Government proceeds with the proposed changes, the implementation date is unimplementable and will result in member confusion and detriment. It is proposed that the commencement date of 1 July 2020 would allow funds to renegotiate insurance contracts on reasonable terms, make relevant system changes and properly inform members, but under no circumstances should it be sooner than 6 months after royal assent.
Super funds where most Australians have their retirement savings will be largely unaffected by this proposal because the imputation credits are exhausted offsetting tax liabilities of the fund.
Once upon a time, we might have viewed climate sceptics as merely frustrating.
… it's 2019, and … we know better.
That's why … a zero-tolerance approach to moderating climate change deniers, and sceptics. Not only will we be removing their comments, we'll be locking their accounts.
… … …
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