Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Just to be clear, if there is a change every five years to the FTA, we discuss that with the relevant nations and we agree on what needs to be updated under the free trade agreement. If it is minor in nature, then we now won't need a regulation. So, as you said in that oil example, it won't—a name change—but for anything more significant than that it does still trigger going to JSCOT for a hearing and then making changes to the bill itself. So, for each FTA, when it comes into effect, there is still a regulation. But what this does is that instead of every five years for these technical amendments we don't have fresh regulations. Again, that is why it is highly technical in nature, which is why previously those amendments have been supported by both sides of the chamber, to actually reduce that regulatory burden for a very technical process. But anything that triggers, as a part of that five-yearly process, a change in formula, in calculation, then that of course goes to JSCOT, and it is treated as major, which triggers the inquiry. It triggers recommendations of changes to legislation, which then come back to both chambers to pass or not to pass as this chamber sees fit on the day.