Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings.

Dairy Produce Amendment (Dairy Service Levy Poll) Bill 2016

Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill 2016

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill 2016

Parliamentary Entitlements Amendment (Injury Compensation Scheme) Bill 2016

Tax Laws Amendment (Small Business Restructure Roll-over) Bill 2016

I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and I seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

DAIRY PRODUCE AMENDMENT (DAIRY SERVICE LEVY POLL) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

Under the Dairy Produce Act 1986 and regulations, a dairy levy poll must be held every five years at a cost to levy payers of up to $1 million. This is irrespective of whether a change in levy rate is sought.

The bill proposes to remove the legislative requirement that a dairy levy poll must be held every five years and rather, that a levy rate will be considered every five years and a poll held only if a change in levy rate is sought.

The amendment will reduce regulatory burden on Dairy Australia and dairy levy payers and reduce the cost associated with conducting a dairy poll every five years.

Reasons for Urgency

The next dairy levy poll is due to be held before April 2017. Levy polls are organised by Dairy Australia up to a year in advance. Dairy Australia and levy payers have expressed concern about the cost of conducting a poll and a majority of dairy farmer levy payers participating in a voluntary poll have voted to remove the requirement to hold a dairy poll every five years. If the bill is not passed during the 2016 Autumn sittings, it may result in the next scheduled poll having to be held in 2017. This would be an unreasonable and unnecessary additional cost to impose on Dairy Australia over such a short timeframe given that a poll was recently held to vote on the amendment.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

NARCOTIC DRUGS AMENDMENT BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill amends the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 (the ND Act) to facilitate access to cannabis products in compliance with Australia's international obligations. The bill will establish a Commonwealth licensing scheme that will facilitate access to regulated products derived from cannabis in a way that is secure and consistent with Australia's international convention obligations. The bill also updates and modernises existing manufacturing provisions to ensure that they are consistent with the controls applied to the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes and to manage the additional risk of diversion that cannabis products represent.

Reasons for Urgency

The Commonwealth currently has laws to regulate the import, export and manufacture of cannabinoids and cannabis raw material, but these do not allow the cultivation in Australia of cannabis plants for medicinal purposes. This was not anticipated at the time the ND Act was originally put in place. Further, the manufacturing provisions of the ND Act have not been updated for 49 years and are not consistent with contemporary best practice regulation. While they would allow for the manufacture of cannabinoids, they would not adequately control the risks of diversion associated with cannabis products.

As global supplies of cannabis for medicinal purposes are relatively scarce and expensive, it is anticipated that Australian cultivated cannabis will be sought for use in producing therapeutic products for research and other access schemes. Presently, the Commonwealth is unable to issue licences for the production of locally cultivated cannabis for medical use consistent with the obligations in the United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961(the Single Convention) or the ND Act. Should cultivation of cannabis for medicinal use occur in Australia in a regulatory setting, which does not comply with Australia's obligations as a signatory to the Single Convention, then the Commonwealth would find itself in breach of its international obligations.

This bill makes good the Government's commitment to put in place a regulatory scheme that addresses the issues dealt with by the Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2014, and covers the matters that are properly the responsibility of the Commonwealth. The Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs recommended that the Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2014 be passed, subject to some amendment. This bill takes account of the recommendations of the Committee. It is important to proceed with this bill now to ensure that the Government is seen to be working in accordance with the wishes of the Parliament.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

OFFSHORE PETROLEUM AND GREENHOUSE GAS STORAGE AMENDMENT BILL

Purpose of the Bill

Amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act) are required to clarify the status of certain petroleum titles under the Act.

Reasons for Urgency

The bill is urgently required to resolve uncertainty as to the status of certain petroleum titles purported to be renewed or extended by Joint Authorities under the OPGGS Act without all required approvals in place. This uncertainty as to the status of the titles has potential associated risks to titleholders' investments.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

PARLIAMENTARY ENTITLEMENTS AMENDMENT (INJURY COMPENSATION SCHEME) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

To implement the parliamentary injury compensation scheme (including work health and safety support and equipment), authorise the Minister to determine scheme benefits in a legislative instrument, and confer authority on Comcare to administer the scheme.

Reasons for Urgency

Parliamentarians occupy one of the few remaining professions in Australia that has no coverage for work-related injuries. The parliamentary injury compensation scheme will provide cover for parliamentarians injured in the performance of their duties as a parliamentarian. The scheme was originally intended to be implemented by regulation and coverage was to commence on 1 January 2016. However, implementing the scheme principally through primary legislation instead, will overcome many of the practical difficulties with implementing solely through regulations. Passage of the bill in the 2016 Autumn sittings will remove these previously unanticipated difficulties which impede the implementation of this long-overdue initiative.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

TAX LAWS AMENDMENT (SMALL BUSINESS RESTRUCTURE ROLL-OVER) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

This bill will allow small businesses to change their entity structure without incurring a capital gains tax liability at that time.

Reasons for Urgency

As this measure is to commence on 1 July 2016, introduction and passage of the bill during the 2016 Autumn sittings is required to give taxpayers and the Australian Taxation Office sufficient time to put in place systems and processes to allow for the efficient administration of the tax system and a smooth roll-out of Tax Time 2016.