Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters) Share this | Hansard source

The ANL Legislation Repeal Bill 2019 repeals the ANL Act 1956 and the ANL Guarantee Act 1994, removing outdated legislation and unnecessary restrictions on businesses. These two acts set out arrangements relating to the former government's shipping line ANL, the Australian National Line, which was owned and operated by the Commonwealth during the last century.

In 1998 the Commonwealth sold the ANL shipping line. Following transition of the ANL shipping line to a private business, most provisions of the ANL Act ceased to have any legal or practical effect. A key exception is provisions protecting the use of names such as ANL and SeaRoad once the Commonwealth sold the ANL shipping line. These protections should have been removed but were retained through a historical oversight. Recently, these protections have impeded a small number of maritime businesses that have sought to undertake activities such as reregistering of website names and registering trademarks, despite these businesses having used the names in good faith for many years. This bill repeals the ANL Act, correcting that oversight by removing an unintended and unnecessary barrier impeding business operations and honouring the sale of ANL in good faith. This will allow these businesses to get on with their operations and continue making important contributions to our national economy. Like the remaining parts of the ANL Act, the ANL Guarantee Act became obsolete following the 1998 sale of ANL. The power for the Treasurer to guarantee loans made in respect of the former government business ANL has long ceased having practical effect. Both acts should therefore have been removed as unnecessary and outdated pieces of legislation.

I acknowledge and thank the Treasurer for his agreement to repeal the ANL Guarantee Act simultaneously to support the efficient use of the parliament's time. Removing outdated and spent legislation is part of the government's duty to ensure Australia's regulatory framework for our maritime industry remains fit for purpose and supports the efficient operation of our maritime businesses. I thank senators for their constructive contributions to the debate. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Original question, as amended, agreed to.

Bill read a second time.