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Committee reports and inquiries

This appendix provides details of inquiries conducted and reports presented by the parliamentary committees supported by the Department of the House of Representatives in 2019–20.

Scrutiny committees—inquiries active at 30 June 2020

Inquiries active at 30 June 2020

Agriculture and Water Resources, Standing Committee on

Inquiry into the timber supply chain constraints in the Australian plantation sector

Inquiry into growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030

Communications and the Arts, Standing Committee on

There were no active inquiries at 30 June 2020.

Economics, Standing Committee on

Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia annual report 2019

Review of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority annual report 2019

Review of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission annual report 2019

Review of the four major banks and other financial institutions

Electoral Matters, Joint Standing Committee on

Inquiry into and report on all aspects of the conduct of the 2019 federal election and matters related thereto

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Ensuring Fair Representation of the Northern Territory) Bill 2020

Electoral Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2020

Employment, Education and Training, Standing Committee on

Education in remote and complex environments

Environment and Energy, Standing Committee on the

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Amendment (Transparency in Carbon Emissions Accounting) Bill 2020

Inquiry into the problem of feral and domestic cats in Australia

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Joint Standing Committee on

Remediation of PFAS-related impacts ongoing scrutiny and review

Inquiry into Australia activating greater trade and investment with Pacific island countries

Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific

Inquiry into targeted sanctions to address human rights abuses

Inquiry into Australia’s defence relationships with Pacific island nations

Inquiry into strengthening Australia’s relationships with countries in the Pacific region

Inquiry into the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for Australia’s foreign affairs, defence and trade

Health, Aged Care and Sport, Standing Committee on

There were no active inquiries at 30 June 2020.

Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, Joint Select Committee on

Second interim report on implementation of the National Redress Scheme

Indigenous Affairs, Standing Committee on

Pathways and participation opportunities for Indigenous Australians in employment and business

Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities

Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources, Standing Committee on

Inquiry into Australia’s waste management and recycling industries

Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, Standing Committee on

Inquiry into options for financing faster rail

Intelligence and Security, Parliamentary Joint Committee on

Review of administration and expenditure No. 18 (2018–19): Australian intelligence agencies

Review of Australian Federal Police powers

Review of ‘declared areas’ provisions

Review of the amendments made by the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018

Australian Citizenship Amendment (Citizenship Cessation) Bill 2019

Review of the mandatory data retention regime

Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020

Inquiry into the impact of the exercise of law enforcement and intelligence powers on the freedom of the press

Migration, Joint Standing Committee on

Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker program

National Capital and External Territories, Joint Standing Committee on the

Review of the National Capital Authority: Biannual public briefings

Northern Australia, Joint Standing Committee on

Inquiry into the opportunities and challenges of the engagement of traditional owners in the economic development of Northern Australia

Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

Public Accounts and Audit, Joint Committee of

The administration of government grants: Inquiry into Auditor-General’s reports 5, 12 and 23 (2019–20)

Review of the operations of the Parliamentary Budget Office 2019–20

Inquiry into the 2018–19 Defence major projects report and the future submarine project—Transition to design (Auditor-General’s reports 19 and 22 (2019–20))

Cyber resilience: Inquiry into Auditor-General’s reports 1 and 13 (2019–20)

Public Works, Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Proposed fit-out and security hardening of new leased Australian Federal Police premises at West Perth

Australian War Memorial development project

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment proposed fitout of new leased premises, Canberra

AIR 555 phase 1 airborne intelligence surveillance reconnaissance electronic warfare capability facilities works

Regional Australia, House Select Committee on

Inquiry into matters affecting Regional Australia

Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Standing Committee on

Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence

Inquiry into homelessness in Australia

Tax and Revenue, Standing Committee on

Inquiry into the tax treatment of employee share schemes

Inquiry into the development of the Australian corporate bond market

Inquiry into the Commissioner of Taxation annual report 2018–19

Trade and Investment Growth, Joint Standing Committee on

Inquiry into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile

Treaties, Joint Standing Committee on

Amendments CMS—Amendments to appendices I and II to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals

Capital increase—World Bank Group, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Capital increase—World Bank Group, International Finance Corporation

Certain aspects of the treaty-making process in Australia

Termination investment promotion and protection agreement—Indonesia

Scrutiny committees—reports presented during 2019–20

Reports presented

Date presented and parliamentary paper (PP) number

Agriculture and Water Resources, Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Communications and the Arts, Standing Committee on

The next gen future: Inquiry into the deployment, adoption and application of 5G in Australia

12 May 2020; PP: 117/2020

Economics, Standing Committee on

Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual report 2018

25 November 2019; PP: 540/2019

Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia annual report 2018 (second report)

12 December 2019; PP: 22/2020

Review of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission annual report 2018

10 February 2020; PP: 24/2020

Review of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority annual report 2019

2 March 2020; PP: 58/2020

Advisory report on the Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2019

5 March 2020; PP: 63/2020

Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia annual report 2019 (first report)

5 March 2020; PP: 64/2020

Electoral Matters, Joint Standing Committee on

Advisory report on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Real Time Disclosure of Political Donations) Bill 2019

17 December 2019; PP: 550/2020

Interim report on all aspects of the conduct of the 2019 federal election and matters related thereto: delegation to the International Grand Committee, Dublin, Ireland

15 May 2020; PP: 124/2020

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering the Donation Disclosure Threshold) Bill 2019

28 May 2020; PP: 131/2020

Employment, Education and Training, Standing Committee on

Status of the teaching profession

28 November 2019; PP: 543/2019

Environment and Energy, Standing Committee on the

Not without your approval: a way forward for nuclear technology in Australia. Report of the inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia

13 December 2019; PP: 23/2020

Report of the inquiry into vegetation and land management policy relating to bushfires

5 March 2020; PP: 62/2020

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Joint Standing Committee on

Inquiry into PFAS remediation in and around Defence bases (first report)

20 December 2019; PP: 551/2019

Health, Aged Care and Sport, Standing Committee on

Walking the allergy tightrope: Addressing the rise of allergies and anaphylaxis in Australia

15 June 2020; PP: 145/2020

Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, Joint Select Committee on

First interim report of the Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme April 2020

1 May 2020; PP: 120/2020

Indigenous Affairs, Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources, Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Intelligence and Security, Parliamentary Joint Committee on

Review of the listing and re-listing of six organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code: Islamic State-Somalia, Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qa’ida, al-Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and Jemaah Islamiyah

10 September 2019; PP: 252/2019

Advisory report on the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Bill 2019

14 October 2019; PP: 289/2019

Advisory report on the Identity-matching Services Bill 2019 and the Australian Passports Amendment (Identity-matching Services) Bill 2019

24 October 2019; PP: 458/2019

Review of the renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007

4 December 2019; PP: 534/2019

Annual report of committee activities 2018–2019

4 December 2019; PP: 535/2019

Review of the re-listing of four terrorist organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Cod

5 February 2020; PP: 21/2020

Review of administration and expenditure No. 17 (2017–2018): Australian intelligence agencies

5 February 2020; PP: 20/2020

Migration, Joint Standing Committee on

Migration in regional Australia

18 June 2020; PP: 144/2020

National Capital and External Territories, Joint Standing Committee on the

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Northern Australia, Joint Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Public Accounts and Audit, Joint Committee of

Report 480: Annual report (2018–19)

4 December 2019; PP: 536/2019

Report 481: Efficiency and effectiveness: Inquiry into Auditor-General's reports 25, 29, 38, 42, 44, 45 and 51 (2018–19)

15 June 2020; PP: 120/2020

Public Works, Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Eighty-second annual report (2018)

30 July 2019; PP: 225/2019

2/2019: Referrals made 31 July 2019

9 September 2019; PP: 246/2019

3/2019: Referrals made July 2019

16 September 2019; PP: 259/2019

4/2019: Referrals made September 2019

14 October 2019; PP: 290/2019

5/2019: Referrals made July 2019

16 October 2019; PP: 386/2019

6/2019: Referrals made September 2019

2 December 2019; PP: 528/2019

Eighty-third annual report (2019)

2 March 2020; PP: 60/2020

1/2020: Referral made November 2019

23 March 2020; PP: 77/2020

2/2020: Referrals made November 2019 and February 2020

6 May 2020; PP: 116/2020

3/2020: Referral made November 2019 and February 2020

10 June 2020; PP: 136/2020

Regional Australia, House Select Committee on

Interim report on the inquiry into regional Australia

27 March 2020; PP: 136/2020

Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Standing Committee on

Protecting the age of innocence: Report of the inquiry into age verification for online wagering and online pornography

5 March 2020; PP: 61/2020

Tax and Revenue, Standing Committee on

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Trade and Investment Growth, Joint Standing Committee on

Trade transformation: Supporting Australia's export and investment opportunities

10 June 2020; PP: 136/2020

Treaties, Joint Standing Committee on

Report 186: IA-CEPA and A-HKFTA

16 October 2019; PP: 269/2019

Report 187: Oil stock contracts—Hungary; MRA UK; Trade in wine UK; MH17 Netherlands; Air Services: Thailand, Timor-Leste, PNG; Work diplomatic families—Italy; Double taxation—Israel

17 October 2019; PP: 403/2019

Report 188: Investments Uruguay, ISDS UN Convention and Convention SKAO

3 December 2019; PP: 523/2019

Internal committees—their purpose and inquiries conducted and reports presented by them during 2019–20

Committee purpose, inquiries conducted and reports presented

Appropriations and Administration, Standing Committee on

The committee considers estimates of the funding required for the operation of the department and may confer with the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing.

Report presented:

  • Report No. 18: Annual report 2018–19 — presented on 28 November 2019; PP: 524/2019

Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings, Joint Committee on the

The committee meets when required to consider the general principles applying to the radio broadcasting and, in certain circumstances, the televising of proceedings of parliament by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Petitions, Standing Committee on

The committee receives and processes petitions, and inquires into and reports to the House on any matter relating to petitions and the petitions system. Information on how to go about petitioning the House of Representatives is available at the petitions page on the Parliament of Australia website.

No inquiry reports were presented during 2019–20.

Reports presented:

  • Report 1: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 29 July 2019
  • Report 2: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 9 September 2019
  • Report 3: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 16 September 2019
  • Report 4: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 14 October 2019
  • Report 5: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 21 October 2019
  • Report 6: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 25 November 2019
  • Report 7: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 2 December 2019
  • Report 8: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 10 February 2020
  • Report 9: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 24 February 2020
  • Report 10: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 2 March 2020
  • Report 11: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 8 April 2020
  • Report 12: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 13 May 2020
  • Report 13: Petitions and ministerial responses — presented on 15 June 202

Privileges and Members’ Interests, Standing Committee on

The committee is appointed at the commencement of each parliament to inquire into and report on complaints of breach of privilege referred to it by the House, oversee arrangements for the maintenance of the register of members’ interests and the register of members’ qualifications, and consider any specific complaints about the registering of interests.

Reports presented:

  • Report concerning an application from Mr Leo Zussino for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives — presented on 19 September 2019
  • Report concerning the registration and declaration of Members’ interests during 2019 — presented on 13 February 2020; PP: 25/2020

Procedure, Standing Committee on

The committee’s role is to inquire into and report on the practices and procedures of the House and its committees.

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Publications, Standing Committee on

The committee presents reports making recommendations relating to the inclusion in the Parliamentary Papers Series of documents presented to parliament.

No reports were presented during 2019–20.

Selection Committee

The committee was established to determine the program of committee and delegation business and private members’ business for each sitting Monday and to select bills for referral to committees.

Reports presented:

  • 22 July 2019
  • 24 July 2019
  • 25 July 2019
  • 31 July 2019
  • 11 September 2019
  • 18 September 2019
  • 19 September 2019
  • 16 October 2019
  • 23 October 2019
  • 27 November 2019
  • 5 February 2020
  • 12 February 2020
  • 26 February 2020
  • 27 February 2020
  • 4 March 2020
  • 10 June 2020
  • 11 June 2020