Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Bill 2006

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006

Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2006

Copyright Amendment Bill 2006

Customs Legislation Amendment (New Zealand Rules of Origin) Bill 2006

Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2006

Inspector of Transport Security Bill 2006

Inspector of Transport Security (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2006

Medibank Private Sale Bill 2006

Telecommunications Amendment (Integrated Public Number Database) Bill 2006.

I table a further statement of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings. I seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Datacasting Transmitter Licence Fees Bill 2006 and Broadcasting Services Amendment (Collection of Datacasting Transmitter Licence Fees) Bill 2006

Purpose of the bills

The Datacasting Transmitter Licence Fees Bill 2006 and Broadcasting Services Amendment (Collection of Datacasting Transmitter Licence Fees) Bill 2006 (the bills) will implement the Government’s decisions relating to the imposition and collection of annual licence fees, by way of taxes, on channel A datacasting transmitter licence holders, based on revenue received by the datacasting transmitter licence operator.

Reasons for Urgency

The bills supplement the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Act 2006 (the Act) passed by the Parliament on 18 October 2006. The Act (amongst other measures) provides mechanisms for the allocation of channel A datacasting transmitter licences (Channel A) and channel B datacasting transmitters (Channel B) to provide new services for consumers.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) must design a price-based process for the allocation of Channel A and Channel B.

It is important that when Channel A is offered to the market, the offer documents should provide a clear description of Channel A, including all its characteristics and the impositions to which it will be subject. If the allocation process begins without the bills being passed, it would be unclear whether Channel A would be subject to the condition that the licensee will be subject to an annual licence fee. This would create uncertainty about the conditions under which the licences will operate after allocation. It is therefore necessary for the legislation to be considered by Parliament and the outcome of this consideration to be known to allow the offer to be put to market. Preparations have begun in relation to the processes leading to allocation of channel A datacasting transmitter licences with the aim of conducting the allocation as soon as possible in 2007. Therefore the bills should be debated in both Houses of Parliament before the end of 2006 to enable new services to be provided to consumers as soon as possible.

Circulated with the Authority of the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

Mr Deputy President, on a point of order: could that statement of reasons be circulated in the chamber immediately?

It will be circulated as quickly as possible.