Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) 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:

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Early Childhood Education and Care

Coronavirus Response and Other Measures) Bill 2021

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2020

Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2020

Industry Research and Development Amendment (Industry Innovation and Science Australia) Bill 2021

National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

Online Safety Bill 2021

Online Safety (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021

Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Age of Dependants) Bill 2021

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021

Special Recreational Vessels Amendment Bill 2021

Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021

Work Health and Safety Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2021

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

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

FAMILY ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE MEASURES) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The bill will support the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector and families in need of child care during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies that have a significant adverse effect on the sector. The bill will provide certainty about the operation of the ECEC Relief Package and continued access to child care subsidy (CCS) during times of crisis, including through enhanced flexibility in financial support and amelioration of requirements in the family assistance law that are inappropriate when the market for provision of child care has been significantly disrupted.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of the bill by the end of the 2021 Autumn sittings is required to ensure amendments to the family assistance law are implemented in time to mitigate the adverse effects of that law on the ECEC sector and families as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the automatic recovery of business continuity payments made during the ECEC Relief Package, the automatic cessation of children's enrolment in child care, and the cancellation of CCS for families that have not been able to lodge income tax returns. The amendments respond to the evolving impacts of and issues highlighted by COVID-19 on the ECEC sector and families and provide certainty to child care providers, enable IT system enhancements and provide further support to families using child care.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Education and Youth)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (REGISTER) BILL 2020

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (REGISTER) CHARGE (GENERAL BILL) 2020

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (REGISTER) CHARGE (CUSTOMS BILL) 2020

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (REGISTER) CHARGE (EXCISE BILL) 2020

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2020

Purpose of the Bill

The Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill 2020 (ICEMR Bill) would establish a national framework to manage the ongoing use, handing and disposal of industrial chemicals, in order to reduce the impacts on the environment and limit people's exposure to potentially harmful industrial chemicals.

The Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (General) Bill 2020, Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Customs) Bill 2020 and the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Charge (Excise) Bill 2020 (collectively referred to as the ICEMR Charges Bills) would provide a framework for applying cost recovery charges. This would allow the Commonwealth's costs of administering the framework in the ICEMR Bill to be appropriately recovered. These charges would be called scheduling charges.

The Industrial Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 is a companion bill to the ICEMR Bill. It would make a number of consequential amendments to the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 to ensure the scheduling charge can be collected alongside the registration charge already collected under the framework of that Act.

Reasons for Urgency

The ICEMR legislation gives effect to intergovernmental agreements between the states and territories and the Commonwealth Government. The passage of the bills is necessary to enable the establishment of the National Standard for the environmental risk management of industrial chemicals. State and territory governments are anticipating the passage of the ICEMR legislation and are preparing to implement scheduling decisions that will be made once the ICEMR legislation is in force. If the Bills are not passed in the Autumn sitting period, this will delay the implementation of the National Standard in all Australian jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth. This may undermine current momentum with states and territories for delivery of the reforms.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for the Environment)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

INDUSTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE AUSTRALIA) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

Reasons for Urgency

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

NATIONAL CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION AMENDMENT (SUPPORTING ECONOMIC RECOVERY) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The reforms in the Bill will reduce the time and cost associated with the provision of credit by removing responsible lending obligations for products other than small amount credit contracts and consumer leases. This will provide greater flexibility to lenders in adhering to principles of 'prudent' lending. Borrowers will benefit from reduced application times and the need to provide information to lenders.

The Bill's amendments to the Credit Act enhance the consumer protection framework for consumers of small amount credit contracts and consumer leases, while ensuring these products can continue to fulfil an important role in the economy.

Reasons for Urgency

These reforms are required as soon as possible so that consumers can continue to spend and business can invest and create jobs as the economy recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The Bill's amendments to the Credit Act are required as soon as possible to provide regulatory certainty for Australian consumers.

(Circulated by authority of the Treasurer)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

ONLINE SAFETY BILL

ONLINE SAFETY (TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL

Purpose of the Bills

The bills will create a modem, fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for online safety that harnesses the strengths of the existing arrangements and holds industry to account for the safety of their products and services.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage in the 2021 Autumn parliamentary sittings is necessary to introduce a new regulatory framework for illegal and harmful content - extending the reach and scope of the eSafety Commissioner's powers and making industry more accountable and transparent in relation to their efforts to keep users safe on their services.

The measures in the bills will enhance the protections from online harms for all Australians, including a new scheme to address adult cyber abuse. While children are particularly vulnerable to online harms such as cyberbullying, increasingly and prominently adults are facing abuse and hate campaigns online. The most serious forms of abuse are disproportionately targeting women and minority groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTIQ+ community, people with mental health issues or people living with a disability. This kind of targeted abuse serves to silence certain voices and discourages engagement online. Online trolling also has a negative impact on the economy (estimated at $4 billion) due to lost income and medical expenses.

Passage of the bills will send a strong message that the online world is not an ungoverned space.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (AGE OF DEPENDANTS) BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Age of Dependants) Bill 2021 amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to increase the maximum age of dependents for private health insurance policies from 24 to 3 I years and remove the age limit for dependents with a disability.

The bill is part of the Government's commitment to ensuring private health insurance is affordable and provides value for money for consumers.

Reasons for Urgency

If the bill is not passed in the 2021 Autumn sittings, then insurers will not have the option to offer young people, families and people with a disability access to more affordable private health insurance products from 1 April 2021, as announced by the Government in the 2020-21 Budget.

Private health insurers also require certainty from passage of the bill, to undertake product and systems changes, as well as communicate to customers.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Aged Care)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

SOCIAL SERVICES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (STRENGTHENING INCOME SUPPORT) BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The bill will permanently increase the maximum basic rates of working age social security payments by $50 per fortnight and permanently increase the ordinary income-free area for jobseeker payment, youth allowance (other), parenting payment (partnered) and related payments to $150 per fortnight.

The bill will also extend, from 1 April to 30 June 2021:

Reasons for urgency

This bill must be passed before current temporary COVID-19 measures end on 31 March 2021.

If this bill is not passed in the 2021 Autumn sittings, permanent increases to maximum basic rates of payment and income-free areas will not begin to be paid on 1 April 2021 and all temporary COVID-19 arrangements will cease on 31 March 2021, which will mean the Government is unable to provide increased social security support to individuals into the future.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Families and Social Services)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

NAME OF BILL

Special Recreational Vessels Amendment Bill 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 (SRV Act) to extend the repeal date in section 17 of the Act from 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2023. This will allow special recreational vessels (also known as superyachts) to continue to operate charters in Australia until a longer-term regulatory solution is found.

Reasons for Urgency

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consultation timeframes, reforms will not be identified and agreed before the SRV Act sunsets.

Extension of the repeal date before 30 June 2021 is needed to support superyacht charters in Australia beyond this date. The ability to charter brings economic benefits into regional communities in Australia, supporting local industries and establishing Australia as a destination for these vessels.

(Circulated by authority of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, The Hon Michael McCormack MP).

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

TREASURY LAWS AMENDMENT (2021 MEASURES NO. 1) BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The bill extends from 21 March 2021 to 15 September 2021 the expiry date of existing temporary relief allowing companies and their officers to meet regulatory requirements in respect of, among other things, document execution and virtual meetings using digital technologies and makes permanent the temporary changes made to continuous disclosure laws in May 2020 and which are due to expire on 22 March 2021.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of this legislation as soon as possible, and before the expiry of the temporary relief, will provide certainty to the business community.

(Circulated by authority of the Treasurer)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 AUTUMN SITTINGS

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY AMENDMENT (NORFOLK ISLAND) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The Work Health and Safety Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2021 clarifies the operation of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the Act) in relation to the Commonwealth's undertakings on Norfolk Island. The Bill removes a number of references to Norfolk Island that have the potential to confuse duty holders about the way the Act applies to the Commonwealth's work on Norfolk Island.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of the Bill as soon as practicable is necessary to provide clarity to duty holders on their obligations under Commonwealth work health and safety laws.

(Circulated by authority of the Attorney-General)