(1) That a Joint Select Committee on the Retailing Sector be appointed
to inquire into and report on:
(a) the degree of industry concentration within the retailing sector
in Australia, with particular reference to the impact of that industry
concentration on the ability of small independent retailers to compete
fairly in the retail sector;
(b) overseas developments with respect to this issue, highlighting
approaches adopted in OECD economies; and
(c) possible revenue-neutral courses of action by the Federal Government
(ie courses of action that do not involve taxation reform).
(2) That the committee consist of 10 members, 3 members of the House
of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips,
2 members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the
Opposition Whip or Whips or by any Independent Member, 2 senators to
be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 2 senators
to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and 1 senator
to be nominated by any minority group or groups or independent senator
or senators.
(3) That every nomination of a member of the committee be forthwith
notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives.
(4) That the members of the committee hold office as a joint select
committee until completion of the joint committee’s report.
(5) That the committee elect a Government member as its chair.
(6) That the committee elect a 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.
(7) That, in the event of an equality of voting, the chair, or the
deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote.
(8) That 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee.
(9) 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.
(10) That the committee appoint the chair of each subcommittee who
shall have a casting vote only and 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.
(11) That the quorum of a subcommittee be 2 members of that subcommittee.
(12) 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.
(13) That the committee or any subcommittee have power to send for
persons, papers and records.
(14) That the committee or subcommittee have power to move from place
to place.
(15) That a subcommittee have power to adjourn from time to time and
to sit during the adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(16) That the committee report no later that 6 months after this resolution
is agreed to by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(17) That the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider
and make use of the evidence and records of the House of Representatives
Standing Committees on Industry, Science and Technology and the Senate
Economics References Committees appointed during previous Parliaments.
(18) That the foregoing provisions of this resolution, so far as they
are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding
anything contained in the standing orders.