Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that cost recovery arrangements for the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Program can continue to be effective.

The bill will amend the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Act 1995 (the Manufacture Levy Act) to provide for the levy rates to be set by regulation rather than fixed in the Manufacture Levy Act.

The capped levy rate has been in place since 2003 and as such is not an accurate reflection of the current cost of administering the program.

Removing the cap allows the levy to be adjusted periodically so that activities under the act and regulations can be fully cost recovered in the future.

Following a review of cost recovery arrangements, a logical and appropriate change to the levy rate may occur to reflect the present-day cost of administering the program.

The bill will allow for the delegation of power to appropriate officials to exempt a person from paying the levy.

Effective delegation is a fundamental component of good governance and risk management. Limiting delegations to officials at executive level 2 or above ensures that only persons with appropriate seniority and expertise would be exercising these powers.

Debate adjourned.