30 November – 3 December 2020
House of Representatives
Bills initiated in the House
The following Bills were initiated:
- Migration Amendment (Common Sense Partner Visa) Bill 2020 – introduced 30 November 2020, Private Member’s Bill
- National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consumer Lease Reforms) Bill 2020 – introduced 30 November 2020, Private Member’s Bill
- Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Serious Incident Response Scheme and Other Measures) Bill 2020 – introduced 2 December 2020, Government Bill
- Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 6) Bill 2020 – introduced 2 December 2020, Government Bill
- Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals and Other Measures) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- National Collecting Institutions Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- National Emergency Declaration Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- National Emergency Declaration (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Regulatory Powers (Standardisation Reform) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
- Telecommunications Amendment (Infrastructure in New Developments) Bill 2020 – introduced 3 December 2020, Government Bill
New inquiries of House Committees
No new inquiries were announced.
Reports of House Committees
The following reports were tabled:
Petitions Committee
Selection Committee
- Report No. 24 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members’ business – tabled 2 December 2020
Senate
Bills initiated in the Senate
The following Bills were initiated:
- Designs Amendment (Advisory Council on Intellectual Property Response) Bill 2020 – introduced 2 December 2020, Government Bill
- Electoral Amendment (Territory Representation) Bill 2020 – introduced 2 December 2020, Government Bill
New inquiries of Senate Committees
The following new inquiries were announced:
Finance and Public Administration Committee
- The current capability of the Australian Public Service (APS) – submissions due 26 February 2020
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee
- Judges’ Pensions Amendment (Pension Not Payable for Misconduct) Bill 2020 – submissions due 1 February 2021
Reports of Senate Committees
The following reports have been tabled:
Administration of Sports Grants Committee
- Interim report – tabled 1 December 2020
Appropriations, Staffing and Security
- Annual Report 2019–20 – tabled out of session 19 November 2020
Community Affairs Legislation Committee
- Aged Care Amendment (Aged Care Recipient Classification) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled 2 December 2020
- Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Improved Home Care Payment Administration No. 1) Bill 2020 and Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Improved Home Care Payment Administration No. 2) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 27 November 2020
- Budget Estimates 2020–21 – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Health Insurance Amendment (Compliance Administration) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled 2 December 2020
- Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 27 November 2020
Economics Committee
- Budget Estimates 2020–21 – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Foreign Investment Reform (Protecting Australia's National Security) Bill 2020 [Provisions] and Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Amendment Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 26 November 2020
- Regional Inequality in Australia – tabled 3 December 2020
- Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 4) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 26 November 2020
Education and Employment Committee
- Budget Estimates 2020–21 – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Provider Category Standards and Other Measures) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 27 November 2020
Effectiveness of the Australian Government’s Northern Australia Agenda
- Interim report – tabled 3 December 2020
Environment and Communications Committee
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Streamlining Environmental Approvals) Bill 2020 – tabled out of session 27 November 2020
Finance and Public Administration Committee
- Budget Estimates 2020–21 – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donation Reform and Other Measures) Bill 2020 – tabled 3 December 2020
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee
- Budget Estimates 2020–21 – tabled out of session 17 November 2020
- Export Market Development Grants Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 [provisions] – tabled out of session 26 November 2020
- National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020 [provisions] and the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020 [provisions] – tabled 30 November 2020
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill 2019 [Provisions] Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2019 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 20 November 2020
- Immigration (Education) Amendment (Expanding Access to English Tuition) Bill 2020 [Provisions] – tabled out of session 27 November 2020
Scrutiny of Bills Committee
- Scrutiny Digest 16 of 2020 – tabled out of session 20 November 2020
- Scrutiny Digest 17 of 2020 – tabled 2 December 2020
Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee
- Delegated Legislation Monitor 13 of 2020 – tabled 2 December 2020
- Interim report: Exemption of delegated legislation from parliamentary oversight – tabled 2 December 2020
Selection of Bills Committee
- Report No. 11 of 2020 – tabled 3 December 2020
Joint Committees
New inquiries of Joint Committees
The following new inquiries were announced:
National Capital and External Territories
- Inquiry into economic, social and environmental sustainability in the Indian Ocean Territories – submissions due 27 January 2021
Public Works Committee
- Airservices Australia, Brisbane Air Traffic Services Centre and Control Tower Complex Refurbishment Project – submissions due 19 January 2021
- Airservices Australia, Sydney Airport Tower Refurbishment Project – submissions due 19 January 2021
Treaties Committee
- Amendments 2020 – CITES – submissions due 18 January 2021
- Certifications – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – submissions due 18 January 2021
Reports of Joint Committees
The following reports have been tabled:
Corporations and Financial Services Committee
- Regulation of auditing in Australia – tabled 11 November 2020
Human Rights Committee
- Human rights scrutiny report 13 of 2020 – tabled out of session 13 November 2020
- Human rights scrutiny report 14 of 2020 – tabled out of session 26 November 2020
Intelligence and Security Committee
- Advisory report on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020 – tabled 3 December 2020
Migration Committee
- Final Report of the Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker Program – tabled 30 November 2020
National Disability Insurance Scheme Committee
- NDIS Planning Final Report – tabled 1 December 2020
Petitions Committee
- Report 19: Petitions and Ministerial Responses – tabled 30 November 2020
Laws passed
The following Bills passed both Houses last week:
- Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2020–2021
- Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2020–2021
- Appropriation Bill (Parliamentary Departments) (No. 1) 2020–2021
- Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020
- Family Law Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Bill 2020
- Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020
The following Bills have now received assent by the Governor-General:
- Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2020–2021
- Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2020–2021
- Appropriation Bill (Parliamentary Departments) (No. 1) 2020–2021
- Biosecurity Amendment (Traveller Declarations and Other Measures) Bill 2020
- Broadcasting Services Amendment (Regional Commercial Radio and Other Measures) Bill 2020
- Economic Recovery Package (JobMaker Hiring Credit) Amendment Bill 2020
- Education Legislation Amendment (Up-front Payments Tuition Protection) Bill 2020
- Fair Work Amendment (Improving Unpaid Parental Leave for Parents of Stillborn Babies and Other Measures) Bill 2020
- Family Law Amendment (Risk Screening Protections) Bill 2020
- Health Insurance Amendment (Administration) Bill 2020
- Higher Education (Up-front Payments Tuition Protection Levy) Bill 2020
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Strengthening Banning Orders) Bill 2020
- Services Australia Governance Amendment Bill 2020
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Coronavirus and Other Measures) Bill 2020
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 2020
- Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Supporting the Wellbeing of Veterans and Their Families) Bill 2020
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