CHAPTER 1
The Committee's Inquiry
Reference of the Bill to the Committee
1.1 On 23 November 1998, the Senate referred the provisions of the Wool International Amendment
bBill 1998 (the Bill) to the Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 1998. [1]
Subsequently, on 26 November 1998, the Senate agreed to a motion that the Committee report on the
provisions of the Bill by 2 December 1998. [2]
1.2 On 26 November 1998, on the recommendation of the Senate Selection of Bills Committee, the
Senate referred the Bill to the Committee for inquiry and report by 2 December 1998. [3] The Bill was
referred to the Committee due to its significant interest in the importance to the Australian wool industry.
1.3 The Committee presents a single report on both the above references.
The Committee's Inquiry
1.4 On referral of the provisions of the Bill, the Committee approached a number of groups and bodies
associated with and representing the interests of the wool industry and wool producers for their views on
the Bill. The Committee received 118 Wwritten submissions on the Bill. These submissions are shown in
Appendix 1 of the Report.
1.5 The Committee held a one-day public hearing on the Bill in Canberra on Friday, 27 November
1998. The witnesses who appeared at the hearing are shown in Appendix 2 of the report.
1.6 All submissions and the Hansard of the Committee's hearing on the Bill are tabled with this report.
The Hansard of the hearing is available at the Hansard site on the Parliament House homepage on the
Internet (https://www.aph.gov.au/hansard).
Consideration of the Committee's Report
1.7 The Committee met on 1 and 2 December 1998 in order to consider its report.
Acknowledgments
1.8 The Committeece acknowledges the assistance and contribution made to its inquiry by all those who
prepared written submissions on this inquiry at short notice. The Committee also acknowledges the
assistance provided at its public hearing on the Bill by all witnesses, and the prompt provision of
supplementary information requested by the Committee. This co-operation has allowed the Committee to
prepare and present its report on time.
1.9 The Committee also acknowledges, once again, the considerable assistance provided to it in its
examination of the Bill by reference to the analysis of the Bill by the Law and Bills Digest Group of the
Parliamentary Library.
Footnotes
[1] Journals of the Senate, 23 November 1998, p. 118.
[2] Journals of the Senate, 26 November 1998, p. 183.
[3] Journals of the Senate, 26 November 1998, pp. 178-180; Senate Selection of Bills Committee,
Report No 1 of 1998, pp. 2 &12.