Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the report of the Selection of Bills Committee, specifically the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2017 and the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2017. I rise to speak because at least one of the dates that was discussed at the committee meeting last night has been changed. I would like to put on the record why we made this decision and the absurdity that it underlines.

The opposition did seek to have a longer reporting date on both of these bills. Originally we proposed to have an inquiry into these bills run until later in March in order to give the committee more time to hold hearings and to thoroughly inspect these bills. This would allow for a proper inquiry process. We could seek submissions from key stakeholders, hold public hearings and give these pieces of legislation the attention that they deserve. This is the expectation of the community. We, the Senate, are the house of review and we should consider the laws we are passing. Senate committees, when given the time to inquire properly, can produce very productive and helpful reports; however, this was not the wish of those opposite. Rather than a significant committee inquiry, the government wanted to ram this legislation through. In the interests of cooperation, the opposition has agreed with the government to have this bill report on 18 March. This will allow the government to deal with the bill in late March in the Senate if they choose to do so.

Yet—and here is the kicker, the absurdity—the recommendations that have informed this piece of legislation were first made in 2014. A reminder to those listening: back in 2014, who was the Prime Minister? Tony Abbott. He was still the Prime Minister of Australia. The No. 1 song that year was that catchy tune 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams. Here is a sad reflection, I think, on the state of our society: they still made Coke Zero back in 2014. I don't know if the chamber agrees with me, but I really do feel like 'Coke no sugar' is a pale imitation.

Senator Dean Smith interjecting—

Thank you, Senator Smith, for your observation. However, back to the serious matters at hand: here we are, five years later, and it is laughable. In 2014 this government handed down a second set of recommendations in relation to the pieces of legislation that are currently before us. Five years ago, back when you could still drink Coke Zero, dance around to the song 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams and acknowledge Tony Abbott as the Prime Minister of this country, this government made a set of recommendations around migration agents. They didn't introduce them into legislation until 2017, then that legislation sat here on the Notice Paper in this Senate, not moved or acted upon by this government, and now suddenly they have this extreme urgency not to hold an inquiry but to ram it through a committee, to have a short reporting date, to get it done as fast as possible.

Let's understand here that this bill will make changes to how migration agents are registered—specifically, to how lawyers are registered as migration agents. Back several years ago, when this legislation was first moved, Labor did support it, but we do think it is right and proper that we have a thorough examination of this legislation. Things have changed. How do we know that they have changed? We know they have changed because we've had the Report of the inquiry into efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration and education agents.