15 – 18 March 2021
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Bills initiated in the House
The following Bills were initiated:
- Sex Discrimination Amendment (Prohibiting All Sexual Harassment) Bill 2021 – introduced 15 March 2021, Private Member’s Bill
- Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 2) Bill 2021 – introduced 17 March 2021, Government Bill
- Education Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 2) Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
- Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Amendment Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
- Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
- Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Amendment Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
New inquiries of House Committees
No new inquiries were announced.
Reports of House Committees
Petitions Committee
- Report 23: Petitions and ministerial responses – tabled 15 March 2021
Selection Committee
- Report No. 28 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members’ business – tabled 17 March 2021
SENATE
Bills initiated in the Senate
The following Bills were initiated:
- Archives and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
- Biosecurity Amendment (Clarifying Conditionally Non-prohibited Goods) Bill 2021 – introduced 18 March 2021, Government Bill
- Fair Work Amendment (Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2015 – not introduced, but restored to notice paper 17 March 2021, Private Senator’s Bill
- National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Transparency and Cost Recovery) Bill 2021 – introduced 17 March 2021, Government Bill
- Royal Commissions Amendment (Protection of Information) Bill 2021 – introduced 17 March 2021, Government Bill
New inquiries of Senate Committees
The following new inquiries were announced:
Community Affairs References Committee
- Administration of registration and notifications by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and related entities under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law – submissions due 30 April 2021
Economics Legislation Committee
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Benefit to Australia) Bill 2020 – submissions due 13 April 2021
Economics References Committee
- Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021 [Provisions] – submissions due 23 April 2021
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee
- Accuracy of information provided to Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (DFRDB) members – submissions due 30 April 2021
- Opportunities for advancing Australia’s strategic interests through existing regional architecture – submissions due 7 May 2021
- TPI payment (Special Rate of Disability Pension) – submissions due 30 April 2021
Reports of Senate Committees
The following reports have been tabled:
Administration of Sports Grants Select Committee
- Final report – tabled 18 March 2021
Community Affairs Committee
- Effective approaches to prevention, diagnosis and support for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – tabled 17 March 2021
- Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 – tabled out of session 12 March 2021
Economics Legislation Committee
- National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 [Provisions]– tabled out of session 12 March 2021
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Benefit to Australia) Bill 2020 – tabled out of session 11 March 2021
- Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 12 March 2021
Education and Employment Legislation Committee
- Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 12 March 2021
Education and Employment References Committee
- Regulation of the relationship between car manufacturers and car dealers in Australia – tabled 18 March 2021
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bills 2020 – tabled out of session 11 March 2021
- Online Safety Bill 2021 and Online Safety (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021 – tabled out of session 12 March 2021
Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
- Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) Bill 2020 – tabled 16 March 2021
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
- Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020 – tabled out of session 10 March 2021
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
- Transport Security Amendment (Serious Crime) Bill 2020 Report – tabled out of session 11 March 2021
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee
- Interim report: Future of Australia's aviation sector, in the context of COVID-19 and conditions post pandemic – tabled 18 March 2021
- Performance of Australia’s dairy industry and the profitability of Australian dairy farmers since deregulation in 2000 – tabled 18 March 2021
Scrutiny of Bills Committee
- Scrutiny digest 5 of 2021 – tabled 17 March 2021
Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee
- Exemption of delegated legislation from parliamentary oversight – tabled 16 March 2021
- Delegated Legislation monitor 5 of 2021 – tabled 17 March 2021
Selection of Bills Committee
- Report No. 4 for 2021 – tabled 18 March 2021
Senators’ Interests Committee
- Report No. 1 of 2021 – tabled 16 March 2021
JOINT COMMITTEES
New inquiries of Joint Committees
The following new inquiries were announced:
Intelligence and Security Committee
- Review of the re-listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code – submissions due 31 March 2021
Law Enforcement Committee
- Vaccine related fraud and security risks – submissions due 30 April 2021
Treaties Committee
- Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement – submissions due 16 April 2021
Reports of Joint Committees
The following reports have been tabled:
Australia’s Family Law System Select Committee
- Second Interim report – tabled 16 March 2021
Human Rights Committee
- Human rights scrutiny report 3 of 2021 – tabled 17 March 2021
Migration Committee
- Interim Report of the Inquiry into Australia's Skilled Migration Program – tabled 18 March 2021
Public Works Committee
- Eighty Fourth Annual Report – tabled 17 March 2021
- Report 2/2021 – tabled 17 March 2021
Trade and Investment Growth Committee
- Pivot: Inquiry into Diversifying Australia's Trade and Investment Profile – tabled 17 March 2021
Treaties Committee
- Report 194: Certifications - Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; Amendments 2020 – CITES – tabled 16 March 2021
LAWS PASSED
The following Bills passed both Houses last week:
- Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2021
- Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Early Childhood Education and Care Coronavirus Response and Other Measures) Bill 2021
- Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Bill 2021
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2021
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2021
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2021
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2021
- Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2021
- Regulatory Powers (Standardisation Reform) Bill 2021
- Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021
- Treasury Laws Amendment (Reuniting More Superannuation) Bill 2021
The following Bills have now received assent by the Governor-General:
- Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Refunds of Charges and Other Measures) Bill 2021
- Financial Sector Reform (Hayne Royal Commission Response No. 2) Bill 2021
- National Collecting Institutions Legislation Amendment Bill 2021
- Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2021
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