Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This bill is one of a package of bills to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the ozone protection and synthetic greenhouse gas management program.

The changes will reduce the burden on business and ensure the program can continue to achieve important environmental outcomes.

The ozone protection and synthetic greenhouse gas management program regulates the manufacture, import, export, use and disposal of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases.

This program protects the ozone layer and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

An extensive review completed in 2016 found that the program has been very successful through working in partnership with businesses that supply and use these chemicals.

In May 2016 the Australian government announced a range of changes identified by the review to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the program.

The major emissions reduction and streamlining changes were passed by parliament in 2017.

This included the introduction of the hydrofluorocarbon, HFC, phase-down to reduce emissions of these potent global warming gases. HFCs are a group of synthetic greenhouse gases widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning.

The Australian government was instrumental in gaining agreement by all 197 parties to the Montreal Protocol to the worldwide phase-down of HFCs, an important action to protect our ozone and our climate.

The amendment bill introduces most of the remaining measures announced following the review of the program.

The bill also introduces measures developed from consultation and stakeholder feedback since the 2017 amendments, which has incorporated practical ideas and views from industry, consumers and business as they have implemented the measures.

The government continues to work with stakeholders on this program to achieve sustainable environmental benefits as well as better outcomes for consumers and business.

Measures to streamline and clarify program requirements include bringing into the legislation the controls that are currently imposed through licence conditions, such as the ban on import of bulk gas in non-refillable containers.

These changes provide clarity for business and improve protection of the environment.

The bill will clarify licence and exemption requirements, including changes to make the legislation easier to understand and reduce unintentional noncompliance.

Increasing the time allowed for submitting reports and paying levies will reduce the regulatory burden on business and maximise compliance with program requirements by increasing the flexibility for businesses to manage their workload and their cash flow.

The bill reforms the compliance and enforcement approach of the program to provide for consistent Commonwealth regulatory powers and to increase legal certainty for industry and individuals who are subject to the act.

These amendments adopt the standard provisions of the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014, as is Australian government policy when amending legislation.

Minor modifications are made to the standard provisions of the Regulatory Powers Act as appropriate to the program.

The offence and penalty structure in the act is modernised to give flexibility in enforcement while also providing deterrence against noncompliance.

The bill will also add the option of licence suspension as an alternative to immediate cancellation or financial penalties.

The reforms and various amendments in this bill are each minor on their own. As a whole, the package of reforms represents an important step in ensuring the continued success of this program for ozone protection and synthetic greenhouse gas management.

The reforms will encourage compliance and reduce the regulatory burden on business whilst ensuring that the standard of environmental protection provided by the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act remains high.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.