| Publication: | The Australian |
|---|---|
| Date: | 14 September 2009 |
| Section: | The Nation |
Siobhain Ryan
Article excerpt:
THE Senate looks set to scuttle a Rudd government plan to recall parliament before Christmas to push through $1.9 billion in private health reforms, with the opposition and key crossbenchers expected to vote against extending this year's sittings. The government yesterday revealed it had sought advice from Clerk of the Senate Harry Evans on when its private health insurance bills would need to be reintroduced to constitute a double-dissolution trigger, and if the upper house could be forced to consider them outside its usual sitting calendar. Yesterday, federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the government wasn't seeking such a trigger but was determined to have its savings measures passed to protect the federal budget. "That means we would have to look at the parliament sitting in December," she said.
... Senator Xenophon also ruled out extra parliamentary sittings to rush through bills that would not take effect until July next year. He rejected the government's private health reforms last week because they pre-empted the results of a Productivity Commission inquiry into Australia's hospitals, due in December.
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