Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs ) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Customs Tariff Amendment (2012 Measures No. 1) Bill 2012 contains several amendments to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 (the Customs Tariff).

This bill does three things. The first thing it does is provide for the listing of Serbia as a developing country for the purposes of the Australian System of Tariff Preferences, with effect from 1 March 2012. This is covered in items 1 and 2 of the schedule to the bill.

This listing accords Serbia a reduction in customs duty on a defined range of goods imported into Australia.

This action is consistent with Australia's approach to other states which were formerly part of Yugoslavia.

Secondly, item 7 of the schedule to the bill reinserts subheading 5308.10.00, applicable to coir yarn, in the customs tariff. This subheading was incorrectly omitted from the customs tariff in the Customs Tariff Amendment (2012 Harmonized System Changes) Act 2011.

Coir yarn is typically used in the manufacture of mats and ropes. These first two parts of the bill were previously given effect through the tabling of Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 1) 2012 in the House of Representatives on 16 February 2012.

The remaining amendments in the bill correct a number of technical errors that have occurred in the customs tariff.

These corrections maintain the quality of the text of the customs tariff and ensure that Australia's customs tariff is correctly aligned with the International Convention on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System that forms the basis of the customs tariff.

These corrections do not affect the classification of goods or customs duty payable.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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