Sitting week beginning Tuesday, 7 February 2012 —1st House sitting week of the 43rd Parliament’s 2012 autumn sittings (1st sitting week for 2012).

This page summarises the work expected to be done in the House of Representatives and its Main Committee. It is updated weekly during sittings. For a full report of the business dealt with, including a list of documents presented, go to the Votes and Proceedings (available as PDF or HTML from Parlinfo). To read the debates including question time go to Hansard.

For details about the proposed program of business for each sitting of the House and Main Committee and that sitting's public hearings of House and joint committees go to the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format from Parlinfo) The House Daily Program is usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

Sitting Hours

This week the House is expected to sit on Tuesday to Thursday in a pattern similar to that described in the Infosheet 'A typical sitting day'.

The Main Committee is also expected to meet on Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm and 4 pm to 7.30 pm) and on Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm).

For details about House and Main Committee standard hours see the order of business diagrams.

Real time tracking of business done by the House Chamber and the House Main Committee

You can track each item of business as it is being done in the House Chamber and the House Main Committee by using the “LiveMinutes” service.

You can see proceedings of the House Chamber and the House Main Committee via the webcasts at the Australian Parliament's livebroadcasting site. Replays of the House of Representatives Question Time are available from the About the House News site.

Condolence motions

It is expected that a condolence motion will be moved in the House on Tuesday after 2pm in respect of the death of the Rt Hon. Sir Zelman Cowen, AK, GCMG, GCVO, QC.

Legislation

Government bills are expected to be introduced into the House this week. These bills will be listed on the House Daily Program and the text of each bill will be available on ParlInfo after they are introduced.

House of Representatives chamber

In the House during the week it is planned to resume debate on the following motions and Government bills already introduced (note – these plans may change as the week unfolds, especially if some of the bills listed below are referred to the Main Committee by the House. Bills received from the Senate are in italics):

Tuesday

• Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Bill 2011

• Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Service Reform) Bill 2011

• Telecommunications (Industry Levy) Bill 2011

• Paid Parental Leave and Other Legislation Amendment (Consolidation) Bill 2010

• National Health Amendment (Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement Initiatives) Bill 2011

Wednesday

• Social Security Legislation Amendment Bill 2011

• Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Bill 2011

• Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011

• Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2011

• Excise Amendment (Reducing Business Compliance Burden) Bill 2011

• Customs Amendment (Reducing Business Compliance Burden) Bill 2011

• Nuclear Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2011

• Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Bill 2011

• Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011

Thursday

• Building and Construction Industry Improvement Amendment (Transition to Fair Work) Bill 2011

• Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill 2011

• Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Improvements) Bill (No. 2) 2011

• Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2011

• Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2011

• Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Bill 2011

Main Committee

In the Main Committee it is planned to resume debate on the following Government business matters:

Wednesday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm and 4 pm to 7.30 pm)

• Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network — Rollout of the National Broadband Network - Second Report

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services — Report on Statutory Oversight of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services — Interim Report: Inquiry into the Collapse of Trio Capital

Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm)

• To be confirmed

Related links

• For information on how laws are made see the Infosheet 'Making Laws' (PDF 329 Kb)

• For the text of each bill go to Billsnet after the Bill is introduced.

Auditor-General’s reports

The following 2011-12 reports of the Auditor-General are expected to be presented by the Speaker after question time on Tuesday:

Tuesday

• Report No. 15 — Risk Management in the Processing of Sea and Air Cargo Imports

• Australian Customs and Border Protection Service

• Report No. 16 — The Management of Compliance in the Small to Medium Enterprises Market

• Australian Taxation Office

• Report No. 17 — Audits of the Financial Statements of Australian Government Entities for the Period Ended 30 June 2011

• Report No. 18 — Information and Communications Technology Security: Management of Portable Storage Devices
  Cross agencies

• Report No.19 — Oversight and Management of Defence’s Information and Communication Technology
  Department of Defence

• Report No.20 — 2010-2011 Major Projects Report
  Defence Materiel Organisation

• Report No.21 — Administration of Grant Reporting Obligations
  Department of Finance and Deregulation

• Report No.22 — Administration of the Gateway Review Project
  Department of Finance and Deregulation

• Report No.23 — Administration of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme
  Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

Matters of Public Importance

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after question time, in accordance with the House's standing orders, it is possible for the House to discuss a matter of public importance (MPI). If an MPI is proposed by a Member, and is in order, the subject of the MPI will be announced shortly after midday on each of these days and published on ParlInfo. If more than one MPI is proposed the Speaker will decide which MPI is the most urgent and important to be submitted to the House that day.

Petitions

This week Members' may present petitions during the time reserved for Members' Statements in the House and the Main Committee, during the Adjournment Debates of the House and the Main Committee

Related links

• Petitioning the House of Representatives

• Standing Committee on Petitions

• Infosheet Petitions (PDF 242 kb)

Printable Version

• Printable version of this information in PDF format (105 kb).