Sitting week beginning Monday 1 December 2008 — 9th  House sitting week of the 42nd Parliament’s 2008 spring sittings (18th sitting week for 2008).

This page summarises the work expected to be done in the House of Representatives and its Main Committee. It is updated weekly during sittings. For a full report of the business dealt with, including a list of documents presented, go to the Votes and Proceedings (available as PDF or HTML). To read the debates including question time go to Hansard.

For details about the proposed program of business for each sitting of the House and Main Committee and that sitting's public hearings of House and joint committees go to the House Daily Program (available in PDF (approx 92 kb) or Word format) The House Daily Program is usually available at least one hour before the House is scheduled to meet.

This week the House is expected to sit on Monday to Thursday, in a pattern similar to that described in the Infosheet 'A typical sitting day'.

The Main Committee is also expected to meet on Monday (from 4pm to 9.30pm), Wednesday (from 9.30am to 1pm) and on Thursday (from 9.30am to approximately 1pm).

For details about the current hours see the Houses daily routine of business diagrams for the House of Representatives Chamber (PDF 206 kb) and Main Committee (PDF 225 kb).

Real time tracking of business done by the House Chamber and the House Main Committee

You can track each item of business as it is being done in the House Chamber and the House Main Committee by using the “LiveMinutes” service at www.aph.gov.au/house/liveminutes.

You can see proceedings of the House Chamber and the House Main Committee via the webcasts at the Australian Parliament's livebroadcasting site .

Legislation

On Monday, at approximately 8.40pm, the Hon Fran Bailey MP (Lib, McEwen, Vic) is scheduled to present the Saving the Goulburn and Murray Rivers Bill 2008.

The text of this bill will be available on Billsnet after it is introduced.

Government bills are expected to be introduced into the House this week. These bills will be listed on the House Daily Program and the text of each bill will be available on Billsnet after they are introduced. Details of bills to be introduced are not available prior to their introduction.

In the House during the week it is planned to resume debate on the following Government bills already introduced (including bills which were initiated in the Senate, shown in italics):

Monday

• Fair Work Bill 2008;

Tuesday

• Fair Work Bill 2008;

Wednesday

• Fair Work Bill 2008;

• Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2008;

Thursday

• Migration Legislation Amendment (Worker Protection) Bill 2008;

• Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008.

In the Main Committee it is planned to resume debate on the following Government business matters:

Monday

• Nation-building Funds Bill 2008;

• Nation-building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008;

• COAG Reform Fund Bill 2008;

• Grievance debate (see entry below)

Wednesday

• Details to be advised (details will be in the House Wednesday Daily Program);

Thursday

• Details to be advised (details will be in the House Thursday Daily Program).

Also on Monday the House is expected to consider amendments made by the Senate to the Water Amendment Bill 2008 and, later in the week, amendments made by the Senate to the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Emergency Response Consolidation) Bill 2008.

Committee and delegation reports and private Members’ motions

On Monday commencing at 8.45pm the following committee and delegation reports will be presented in the Chamber:

• Joint Standing Committee on Migration — A new beginning: Criteria for release from immigration detention — Mr Danby (Chair), (ALP, Melbourne Ports, Vic);

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services — Opportunity not opportunism: Improving conduct in Australian franchising — Mr Ripoll, (Chair), (ALP, Oxley, Qld);

• Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation — Building Australia’s Research Capacity — Interim and Final Reports — Fran Bailey (Deputy Chair), (Lib, McEwen, Vic);

• Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade — Review of the Defence Annual Report 2006–07 — Mr Bevis (Chair), (ALP, Brisbane, Qld)

• Report of the Official Parliamentary Delegation Visit to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina — Mr Ruddock, (Lib, Berowra, NSW)

• Report of the Official Parliamentary Delegation Visit to Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste — Mr K. J. Thomson (ALP, Wills, Vic).

At approximately 6.55pm in the Main Committee on Monday, debate will ensue on private Members’ motions in the following sequence and about the following subjects (for details of these motions go to the Monday Notice Paper of the House):

• Citizen Military Forces — Mr Scott, (The Nationals, Maranoa, Qld)

• World AIDS Day —Mr Danby (ALP, Melbourne Ports, Vic)

• Murray-Darling Basin Management Plan — Mrs Hull (The Nationals, Riverina, NSW)

Matters of Public Importance

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after question time, in accordance with the House's standing orders, it is possible for the House to discuss a matter of public importance (MPI). If an MPI is proposed by a Member, and is in order, the subject of the MPI will be announced shortly after midday on each of these days and published on the House at Work section of this website . If more than one MPI is proposed the Speaker will decide which MPI is the most urgent and important to be submitted to the House that day.

Grievance debate

In accordance with standing orders Grievance Debate is held on sitting Mondays in the Main Committee. At 8.30pm., after the conclusion of private Members’ business, debate is resumed on the question ‘That grievances be noted’ and debate ensues until 9.30pm. Debate on the question is practically unlimited in scope, giving Members the opportunity, in 10 minute speeches, to raise matters in which they have a particular interest or to discuss complaints of constituents.

Petitions

Petitions and ministerial responses to petitions will be presented by the Chair of the Petitions Committee, Mrs Irwin (ALP, Fowler, NSW) on Monday at 8.30pm.

Members' may also present petitions during the time reserved for Members' Statements in the House and the Main Committee, during the Adjournment Debates of the House and the Main Committee and during Grievance Debate in the House.

For details about House and Main Committee debate times see the order of business diagrams for the House of Representatives Chamber (PDF 206 kb) and Main Committee (PDF 225 kb)

Related links

• Petitioning the House of Representatives

• Standing Committee on Petitions

• Infosheet Petitions (PDF 242 kb)

Printable Version

• Printable version of this information in PDF format (36 Kb).