Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

by leave—I move:

That the provisions of paragraph (6) of standing order 111 not apply to the bill.

I table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Purpose of the Bill

The Bill amends the Registration of Deaths Abroad Act 1984 (RDA Act). The purpose of the amendments is to allow the RDA Act to function as originally

intended, establishing a Registrar of Deaths Abroad with the capacity to register deaths in particular circumstances, namely overseas deaths. The Bill provides the Foreign Minister with broader authority to appoint any State or Territory registrar as the Registrar of Deaths Abroad. Each State and Territory has been consulted on these changes.

Reasons for Urgency

It is desirable the Bill be passed in the 2016 Spring sittings since currently the RDA Act requires the Registrar of Deaths Abroad to be engaged under the Public Service Act 1999. The ACT Registrar has traditionally served as the Registrar of Deaths abroad but is no longer appointed under the Public Service Act 1999 and therefore has no authority to continue to perform this role. As a result, some deaths are currently not being registered in a timely manner.