Senate debates
Monday, 30 November 2009
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
In Committee
7:36 pm
Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source
by leave—I move Australian Greens amendments (59) and (60) on sheet 5786 together:
(59) Clause 353, page 439 (lines 22 and 23), omit “before the end of 30 June 2014”, substitute “by the end of 2 years after the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent”.
(60) Clause 353, page 439 (lines 24 to 28), omit subclause (3), substitute:
(3) Each subsequent review must be completed within:
(a) 2 years after the last day on which a copy of a statement setting out the Commonwealth Government’s response to the recommendations of the previous review was tabled in a House of the Parliament under paragraph 354(6)(b); or
(b) 6 months of any significant changes or developments in a relevant international treaty or relevant scientific knowledge.
These amendments refer to the review period for the scheme as a whole. What we seek to do is substitute the government’s five-year review with a two-year review. Also, amendment (60) says that there can be a review within six months of any significant changes to or developments in a relevant international treaty or relevant scientific knowledge. In other words, what these amendments provide for is a review of the scheme every two years, not every five years. They also provide for a review after a period of six months if there has been a significant change to or the ratification or signing of a relevant international treaty or if relevant scientific knowledge comes to hand. This provides for the flexibility to enable the scheme to be changed to accommodate changing circumstances. A provision for a minister to change the scheme to take into account new scientific knowledge is part of the British legislation, and it makes eminent sense that ministers be enabled to change the scheme quickly if new information comes to hand of a scientific nature or in relation to a new treaty. That is basically the intent of the two amendments and the effect they would have if passed.
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