Week beginning 7 August 2023

This page provides an overview of the key events of the last sitting week in the House of Representatives. It includes all bills presented and debated, and selected statements, debates and committee business. For the official record of proceedings, see the Votes and Proceedings. For a detailed procedural account of events, see the Procedural Digest and House Review.

Key events

• Reference of matter to the Standing Committee on Economics—Insurers' responses to recent natural disasters in Australia (7 August)
• Matter of privilege raised in relation to the Member for Cook (8 August) and Speaker's statement regarding the matter of privilege (10 August)
• Statements, by indulgence, relating to—
  • Women's soccer (8 August)
  • Official visit by Prime Minister to the United States (10 August)
• Statements on significant matters—
  • Sexual assault and harassment on university campuses (9 August)
  • Homelessness week (9 August)
• Motion moved by Minister for Government Services relating to the Robodebt Scheme (10 August)

Legislation

8 bills were presented, and 3 bills were passed by the House.

Ministerial Statement

Commonwealth's proposed national radioactive waste facility—Minister for Resources (10 August)

Matters of Public Importance

• Housing (8 August)
• Climate (9 August)
• Infrastructure (10 August)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented

Standing Committee on Petitions

• Report 13: Petitions and Ministerial responses (7 August)

Standing Committee on Procedure

• Raising the standard: Inquiry into recommendations 10 and 27 of Set the standard: Report on the independent review into Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces, incorporating a dissenting report (7 August)

Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit

• Report 498: ‘Commitment issues’—An inquiry into Commonwealth procurement (9 August)

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works

• Department of Defence—Facilities to support JP9101 Phase 1 enhanced defence high frequency communications system—Project Phoenix (5th report of 2023) (8 August)

Selection Committee

• Report No. 16 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Monday, 4 September 2023. (9 August)

Government responses

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

• Inquiry into international armed conflict decision making (8 August)

Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit

• Executive minutes on report No 492 (9 August)
• Executive minutes on report No 494 (9 August)

Delegation reports presented

No delegation reports were presented

Private Members' business

The following private members' bill was introduced on Monday, 7 August

• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Restoring Trust) Bill 2023—Ms Chaney (Curtin, WA)

The following private members' motions were moved and debated on Monday, 7 August

• Casual workers—Ms J Ryan (Lalor, VIC)
• Child care—Ms Bell (Moncrieff, QLD)
• Defence industry—Mr Howarth (Petrie, QLD)
• Digital economy—Mr Fletcher (Bradfield, NSW)
• Electoral roll—Ms Scrymgour (Lingiari, NT)
• Lobbyists—Dr M Ryan (Kooyong, VIC)
• Medicare Urgent Care Clinics—Mr Rae (Hawke, VIC)
• National Student Wellbeing Program—Mr Broadbent for Mr van Manen (Forde, QLD)
• Native hardwood timber industry—Mr Chester (Gippsland, VIC)
• Olympics infrastructure—Mr Chandler-Mather (Griffith, QLD)
• Robodebt scheme—Ms Thwaites (Jagajaga, VIC)

Debate resumed on the following private members' motions on Monday, 7 August

• Social housing—Dr Ananda-Rajah (Higgins, VIC)