The Work of the Committee during the 40th Parliament February 2002 – August 2004

The Work of the Committee during the 40th Parliament February 2002 – August 2004

18 June 2008

© Commonwealth of Australia 2008
ISBN 978-0-642-71476-3

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Members of the Committee (PDF 108KB)
 
Preface (PDF 30KB)
 
Chapter 1 - Background and operation of the Committee (PDF 138KB)

Introduction
Report of the Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs
Establishment of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee
Senate Standing Order 24
The Committee’s legal adviser
The operation of the Committee
  The Alert Digest
  Committee Reports
  Publication on the Internet
  Monitoring of penalty provisions for ‘information’ offences
  Monitoring of national scheme legislation
  Consensus

The Committee’s workload
The Committee’s effectiveness
Explanatory memoranda

 
Chapter 2 - Undue trespass on personal rights and liberties (PDF 398KB)

Application of criterion set out in Standing Order 24(1)(a)(i)
Retrospectivity
  Border Protection (Validation and Enforcement Powers) Bill 2001
  Superannuation Legislation (Commonwealth Employment) Repeal and Amendment Bill 2002
  Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2002
  Family Law Amendment Bill 2003
‘Legislation by press release’ and the six month rule
  Criminal Code Amendment (Anti-hoax and Other Measures) Bill 2002
  Migration Amendment (Excision from Migration Zone) Bill 2001
Abrogation of the privilege against self-incrimination
  Proceeds of Crime Bill 2002
  Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Bill 2002
Reversal of the onus of proof
  Criminal Code Amendment (Espionage and Related Offences) Bill 2002
  Building and Construction Industry Improvement Bill 2003
Strict and absolute liability offences
  Quarantine Amendment Bill 2002
  Security Legislation amendment (Terrorism) Bill 2002 [No.2]
Double jeopardy
Powers of search and seizure without warrant

  Transport Safety Investigation Bill 2002
  Customs Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2002
Issuing of warrants by non-judicial officers
Search of persons
Abrogation of the rules of natural justice
Abrogation of common law rights of action
Oppressive powers

  Proceeds of Crime Bill 2002
  Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Bill 2002
Limitation of liability for death or personal injury
Limiting the right of parties to arbitration
Use of tax file numbers
Mandatory sentencing
Voting rights of prisoners

  Committee consideration

 
Chapter 3 - Undue dependence upon insufficiently defined administrative powers (PDF 76KB)

Application of criterion set out in Standing Order 24(1)(a)(ii)
Ill-defined and wide powers
  Aviation Transport Security Bill 2003
  Superannuation Safety Amendment Bill 2003
Delegation of power to ‘a person’
  General Insurance Reform Bill 2001
  Age Discrimination Bill 2003
  Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Notification of appeal rights

 
Chapter 4 - Undue dependence upon non-reviewable decisions (PDF 85KB)

Application of criterion set out in Standing Order 24(1)(a)(iii)
No reasons for decisions
Excluding merits review

  Communications Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2003
  Financial Services Reform (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2001
Excluding judicial review
  Migration Amendment (Excision from Migration Zone) (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2001
  Anti-terrorism Bill (No. 2) 2004
Decisions for which review was accepted as unnecessary

 
Chapter 5 - Inappropriate delegation of legislative power (PDF 86KB)

Application of criterion set out in Standing Order 24(1)(a)(iv)
‘Henry VIII’ clauses
Determination of important matters by regulation
Setting the rate of a ‘levy’ by regulation
  Providing a statutory maximum rate or a rate-setting formula
Commencement by Proclamation - Office of Parliamentary Counsel Drafting Direction 2003, No. 3

 
Chapter 6 - Insufficient Parliamentary scrutiny of the exercise of legislative power (PDF 111KB)

Application of criterion set out in Standing Order 24(1)(a)(v)
Not tabled or not subject to disallowance
  Australian National Training Authority Amendment Bill 2003
  Communications Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 3) 2003
  Air Passenger Ticket Levy (Collection) Bill 2001
Incorporating material ‘as in force from time to time’
  Communications Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2002
  Student Assistance Amendment Bill 2003
  Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2002
Insufficient time
Quasi-legislation

 
Chapter 7 - Application of absolute and strict liability offences in Commonwealth legislation (PDF 104KB)

Introduction
Conduct of the inquiry
Basic principles
Merits of strict liability and criteria for its application
Principles of protection for those affected by strict and absolute liability
Principles for the sound administration of strict liability
Application of criteria to existing and proposed Commonwealth strict and absolute liability offences
Recommendations
Government response

 
Chapter 8 - Government response to the Committee's inquiry into entry and search provisions in Commonwealth legislation (PDF 119KB)

Introduction
Recommendations 1 and 6
Recommendation 2
Recommendation 3
Recommendation 4
Recommendation 5
Recommendation 7
Recommendation 8
Recommendation 9
Recommendation 10
Recommendation 11
Recommendation 12
Recommendation 13
Recommendation 14
Recommendation 15
Recommendation 16

 
Appendix 1 - Committee support (PDF 35KB)
 
Appendix 2 - Statistics (PDF 146KB)
 
Appendix 3 - Bills commented on in Alert Digests and reported upon during the 40th Parliament (PDF 277KB)
*PDF Format Only

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Scrutiny of Bills Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone: +61 2 6277 3050
Fax: +61 2 6277 5881
Email: scrutiny.sen@aph.gov.au