Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Hansard source

I move amendment (3) on sheet 5107:

(3)    Schedule 1, page 5, (after line 30), after item 16, insert:

16A  Section 23

Repeal the section, substitute:

23  Annual registration charge

        (1)    The Secretary must give to each provider who is liable to pay an annual registration charge for a year a written notice stating the amount of the charge.

        (2)    A notice under this section must be given to a provider by the last business day in the January of the relevant calendar year.

        (3)    Subject to subsection (4), a registered provider must pay the annual registration charge for which the provider is liable by the last business day in the February of the relevant calendar year.

        (4)    If the notice has not been given to a provider by the last business day in the January of the relevant calendar year, the annual registration charge for which the provider is liable must be paid within 28 days of the day on which the notice was given to the provider.

This amendment deals with the annual registration charge. I addressed this in my speech in the second reading debate. The opposition is moving this amendment in light of concerns raised by the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee regarding some potential problems with the regime that is proposed in the legislation. We consider those concerns are worthy of support and, accordingly, I move this amendment, which is essentially a repeal of proposed section 23 and the substitution of a slightly amended regime.