On 11 May 2011 the Committee’s resolution was amended by the Senate and the House of Representatives to vary the Committee’s membership for the purposes of the inquiry into the funding of political parties and election campaigns.
| 1) |
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That the following matter be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and report by 30 September 2011:
Options to improve the system for the funding of political parties and election campaigns, with particular reference to: |
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(a) |
issues raised in the Government’s Electoral Reform Green Paper - Donations, Funding and Expenditure, released in December 2008; |
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(b) |
the role of third parties in the electoral process; |
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(c) |
the transparency and accountability of the funding regime; |
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(d) |
limiting the escalating cost of elections; |
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(e) |
any relevant measures at the state and territory level and implications for the Commonwealth; and |
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(f) |
the international practices for the funding of political parties and election campaigns, including in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States of America. |
| 2) |
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That, for the purposes of this inquiry only, paragraph (3) of the resolution of appointment be amended to read:
That the committee consist of 12 members, 3 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, 4 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips and 1 non-aligned Member, 2 Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 1 Senator 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 independent Senators. |
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Mr Gray (Special Minister of State) moved—That this House concurs with the resolution transmitted from the Senate with the following amendment:
After Paragraph (2), insert: |
| 3) |
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For the purposes of this inquiry only, the resolution of appointment be amended by inserting the following paragraph: |
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(a) |
That participating members may be appointed to the committee. Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of a member of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee. |
Question—put and passed.
On 12 May 2011 the Senate agreed to the House of Representatives amendment to allow for participating members.