Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In considering in this place the marriage celebrant charge, I recognise an increasing tendency of governments, both state and federal, to charge significant fees to Australians who are participating in the private sector. It is something we are aware of at state level, particularly in Queensland, where the Bligh and Newman governments have introduced significant charges—first, under the Bligh government, for locksmiths; and then, most recently, for tattoo artists, of all people, by the Newman government. This concept of charging $690 for the privilege of being a tattoo artist can only be sustained under the grounds that we are trying to identify and remove bikie gangs from this sector. Once we have identified that tattoo artists are not members of bikie gangs, with respect, I do not think they should be paying that charge. This rapacious tendency to move into all levels of public life and invent government charges is of great concern. I am glad that next to me is the member for Kooyong, who I hope will take a closer look at this tendency.

What we are doing here today is simply recognising the fiscal booby traps introduced by the previous, Labor, government and the necessity for us to meet our obligations to the Australian people and stick to our election promises, and that means introducing and supporting this bill—but this is a Labor bill at its heart. I do not care what the excuses are; this federal government is receiving way too many phone calls from marriage celebrants about details under the act and the fact that, while it was once two per cent, now 71 per cent of weddings in this country are presided over by celebrants. There are certain things you should be able to do with general tax revenue and this is one of them.

With great respect, I do not see anything like even an ephemeral connection between marriage celebrants and bikie gangs. I do not see that there is a need to register them in just the same way as we do doctors and specialists and health experts. I understand that need for registration, but, finally, a new government with a new vision in this area should be looking to peak bodies to do this job and not involve government in this area. As a person who believes in small government, I hope that this legislation, difficult as it is to swallow, will eventually be repealed. I apologise to the over 10,000 marriage celebrants, who, in small country towns, only do two or three weddings a year and are obliged to charge those new couples around $200 just to recover their own costs. I do not support that at all. I know many people in this building do not. It is unfortunate we have been left in this fiscal position and I hope that, as quickly as possible, this very bill ends up in the lap of the member for Kooyong, to be repealed at some date in the near future.

Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that this bill be read a second time.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and congratulations on your election to high office. Together, these two bills, the Marriage Amendment (Celebrant Administration and Fees) Bill 2014 and the Marriage (Celebrant Registration Charge) Bill 2014, implement cost-recovery measures and improve the operation and efficiency of the marriage celebrant program. In terms of cost-recovery, as was noted in the explanatory memoranda to the bills, aspiring marriage celebrants will be required to pay a registration application fee unless an exemption from the application fee has been granted. From 1 July 2014, the application fee will be $600 and will cover the costs of processing and assessment of the application. Registered marriage celebrants will be required to pay an annual celebrant registration charge. From 1 July 2014, the charge will be $240 and will cover the cost of, among other things, providing a dedicated phone service and online portal for celebrants.

Aspiring marriage celebrants and registered marriage celebrants may apply for an exemption from the registration application fee, annual registration charge or annual ongoing professional development obligations. From 1 July 2014 the fee for seeking an exemption will be $30 and that will cover the cost of processing an assessment of the exemption. These fees and charges will be indexed annually for CPI and regularly reviewed to ensure they are recovering only the cost of administering the program.

In terms of improving the operation and efficiency, as was noted in the explanatory memoranda to the bills, aspiring marriage celebrants will now have the option to apply and pay for registration online. Performance reviews of marriage celebrants will be conducted on a more selective and targeted basis. The registrar will no longer be required to conduct performance reviews on every marriage celebrant every five years.

Australian passports will now be able to be used as evidence of the date and place of birth of a party to a marriage. These will be in addition to birth certificates, statutory declarations and passports issued by governments of other countries. The majority of forms currently prescribed in the marriage regulations will become forms approved by the minister. These changes to the Marriage Celebrants Program follow extensive consultation with marriage celebrants, and the government considers them the fairest and most practical way to implement cost-recovery measures and improve the operation and efficiency of the program. I commend the bills to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.