Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That these bills be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

PRODUCT EMISSIONS STANDARDS BILL 2017

This Bill will allow the Commonwealth to introduce air pollution standards on non-road spark ignition engines and equipment which will deliver significant environmental and health benefits.

Standards will cover outdoor power equipment such as leaf blowers, lawnmowers, chainsaws and brush cutters as well as marine engines such as outboards and personal water crafts.

Emissions from these products include nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

This Bill will align Australia with other developed countries and major markets that already have similar standards, including the United States, European Union, Japan and China. Australian standards will be harmonised to minimise any regulatory burden.

Population and transport growth will increasingly put pressure on the clean air we currently enjoy, especially in urban areas.

Recognising the importance of clean air, Australian environment ministers at the Federal, State and Territory level established the National Clean Air Agreement in December 2015. The introduction of these standards was identified as a key action.

Small spark engines are extremely high emitters of noxious air pollution for their size. In fact, a two-stroke leaf blower can produce the same amount of nitrogen oxides as one car and the same amount of hydrocarbons as 150 cars. At peak times, they can contribute up to 10 per cent of air pollution in urban areas.

Because these products are operated within close proximity to users, their emissions have significant health impacts. New standards will deliver a benefit of up to $1.7 billion in avoided health costs over the next 20 years.

In order to allow industry time to adjust to these new standards, they will be phased in over the next two years with the import of non-compliant products prohibited from 1 July 2018 and sale of non-compliant products prohibited from 1 July 2019.

The Australian Government has worked with industry for over a decade to develop emissions standards for these products and will continue this cooperation to ensure Australians continue to enjoy clean air in the future.

PRODUCT EMISSIONS STANDARDS (EXCISE) CHARGES BILL 2017

The Product Emissions Standards (Excise) Charges Bill 2017 will impose a charge on any domestically-manufactured products prescribed under the Product Emissions Standards legislation.

This Bill, together with the Product Emissions Standards (Customs) Charges Bill 2017 and the imposition of fees under the Product Emissions Standards Bill 2017, will enable full cost recovery of the costs associated with regulating prescribed products.

PRODUCT EMISSIONS STANDARDS (CUSTOMS) CHARGES BILL 2017

The Product Emissions Standards (Customs) Charges Bill 2017 will impose a charge on the importation of products prescribed under the Product Emissions Standards legislation.

This Bill, together with the Product Emissions Standards (Excise) Charges Bill 2017 and the imposition of fees under the Product Emissions Standards Bill 2017, will enable full cost recovery of the costs associated with regulating prescribed products.

PRODUCT EMISSIONS STANDARDS (CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS) BILL 2017

This Bill will support the implementation of the Product Emissions Standards Bill 2017 by making a consequential amendment to the Customs Act 1901.

The Bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to clarify that goods imported or exported in contravention of the Product Emissions Standards legislation are not forfeited to the Crown under the Customs Act 1901.

This will streamline the implementation of the Product Emissions Standards legislation and ensure that all compliance and enforcement measures are overseen by the Department of the Environment and Energy.

Debate adjourned.