Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 2) 2023, and the opposition will be supporting this bill as it goes through the House. This bill will amend the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to incorporate the measures contained in four customs tariff proposals that were moved in the 2023 winter and spring parliamentary sittings.

The bill includes the following four measures. The first measure is the expansion in the scope of types of goods specified in the agreement between the government of Australia and the European Space Agency for a cooperative space vehicle tracking program. This will enable the duty-free entry of equipment, materials, supplies and other property that are for the European Space Agency, are for use in agreed activities under the agreement and are imported by persons employed or engaged by the European Space Agency. This will also enable the duty-free entry of personnel and of household goods imported by those persons. The European Space Agency is currently undertaking an expansion of their facility in WA to include a new 35-metre diameter deep-space antenna for communicating with various space science missions and the biomass calibration transponder to support the 2024 biomass mission, which aims to provide critical information about forests globally and improve our understanding of the role forests play in the carbon cycle. Goods for this project and future projects will be eligible for a free rate of customs duty if they were imported on or after 1 December 2022.

The second measure extends the duration of the temporary duty reduction for Ukrainian goods for a further 12 months. This measure is aimed at assisting Ukraine's continued participation in international trade and supporting its efforts to uphold its territorial integrity in response to Russia's illegal invasion and is necessary for the protection of Australia's essential security interests. As a demonstration of Australia's ongoing support for the people of Ukraine, who have borne the terrible cost of Russia's brutal invasion of their country, the free rate of customs duty will apply to goods other than alcohol, tobacco, petroleum and fuel products that are the produce or manufacture of Ukraine to 3 July 2024.

The third measure of this bill enables certain goods to be imported with a free rate of customs duty where goods were imported from 1 January 2022 and are prescribed in a by-law for a specified international sporting event. The first event prescribed was the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The retrospective commencement date has the benefit of enabling those who imported such goods from 1 January 2022 to apply for a refund of the import duties they have paid.

The fourth and final measure is the extension of the temporary additional duty for Russian and Belarusian goods for a further 24 months. The additional duty rate of 35 per cent will therefore continue to apply to goods that are the produce or manufacture of Russia or Belarus, in addition to the general rate of customs that applies to these goods. The additional duty applies to goods that are rented for home consumption between 25 April 2022 and 24 October 2025, other than those that are eligible for a schedule 4 concessional item or left for a direct shipment to Australia from a place of manufacture or warehouse prior to 25 April 2022. The measure is a direct response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine that is supported by Belarus. The coalition supports this bill.

Debate adjourned.

Ordered that the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for a later hour.