Executive Summary

Executive Summary

This report provides the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights' view on the compatibility with human rights as defined in the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 of bills introduced into the Parliament during the period 13 to 29 May 2014 and legislative instruments received during the period 8 March 2014 to 30 May 2014. The committee has also considered responses to the committee's comments made in previous reports.

Bills introduced 13 to 29 May 2014

The committee considered 42 bills, all of which were introduced with a statement of compatibility. Of these 42 bills, 32 do not require further scrutiny as they do not appear to give rise to human rights concerns. The committee has decided to defer its consideration of seven bills and further defer an additional two bills introduced in previous weeks.

The committee has identified six bills that it considers require further examination and for which it will seek further information. This includes three bills which the committee had deferred consideration of in previous reports.

Of the bills considered, those which are scheduled for debate during the sitting week commencing 16 June 2014 include:

Legislative instruments received between 8 March 2014 and 30 May 2014

The committee considered 218 legislative instruments received between 8 March 2014 and 30 May 2014. The full list of instruments scrutinised by the committee can be found in Appendix 1 to this report.

Of these 218 instruments, 213 do not appear to raise any human rights concerns and all are accompanied by statements of compatibility that are adequate. One further instrument does not appear to raise any human rights concerns but is not accompanied by statement of compatibility that fully meets the committee's expectations. As the instrument does not appear to raise human rights compatibility concerns, the committee has written to the relevant minister in a purely advisory capacity.

The committee has decided to seek further information from the relevant minister in relation to one instrument. The committee has decided to defer consideration of the remaining three instruments.

Responses

The committee has considered 15 responses regarding matters raised in relation to bills and legislative instruments in previous reports. The committee has concluded its examination relating to six bills and nine instruments.

Senator Dean Smith
Chair

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