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 various bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings.

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

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

APPROPRIATION (CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE) BILL (NO. 1) 2021-2022

APPROPRIATION (CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE) BILL (NO. 2) 2021-2022

Purpose of the B ills

The bills will provide legislative authority for appropriations to fund expenditure to be incurred in 2021-2022.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of these bills by 10 February 2022 will ensure timely support for the Government's COVID-19 response programs and ensure the Commonwealth's ability to meet its obligations in relation to COVID-19 variants through February and March 2022. Should passage not be granted by 10 February 2022 the activities within the response programs to be funded by the bills may be deferred or significantly delayed.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

CORPORATE COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT VEHICLE FRAMEWORK AND OTHER MEASURES BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to:

• establish the Corporate Collective Investment Vehicle (CCIV) regime;

• extend the existing temporary loss carry-back measure by 12 months, allowing eligible companies to claim a loss carry back tax offset in the 2022-23 income year;

• include the following organisations on the list of deductible gift recipients (DGRs): the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales Ltd, Australian Associated Press Ltd, Virtual War Memorial Limited, and SU Australia Ministries Limited, and extend the specific listings of Cambridge Australia Scholarships Limited and Foundation 1901 Limited; and remove The East African Fund Limited from the current list of DGRs;

• make minor and technical amendments to various laws in the Treasury portfolio to ensure those laws operate in accordance with the policy intent, improve administrative outcomes, remedy unintended consequences and correct technical or drafting defects;

• require trustees of superannuation funds to develop a strategy which outlines how they will assist members to balance key retirement income objectives; and

• remove the cessation of employment taxing point for the tax deferred employee share schemes that are available to all companies.

Reasons for Urgency

Introduction and passage in the Autumn sittings is required to provide certainty to taxpayers, trustees of superannuation funds, and employees, before measures take effect on 1 July 2022. In respect to the CCIV regime in particular, passage in the 2022 Autumn sittings will provide the necessary lead up for the funds management sector to prepare for the establishment and operation of CCIVs from the commencement date of 1 July 2022, as announced in the 2021-22 Budget.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (FOREIGN INFLUENCES AND OFFENCES) BILL 2022

Purpose of the Bill

The objective of the proposed amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 is to strengthen the integrity of the electoral communication confidence in Australia's electoral processes by prohibiting foreign persons and entities from authorising electoral matter and either fundraising or directly incurring electoral expenditure, and increasing the penalty for the offence of misleading or deceptive publications.

Reasons for Urgency

The Bill is urgent with the next federal election to be held on or before 21 May 2022. In order for relevant legislative changes to take effect and be implemented by the Australian Electoral Commission before the election, passage will be needed during this sitting period.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (AUTHORISATIONS) BILL 2022

Purpose of the Bill

The objective of the proposed amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 is to reduce the potential for voter confusion by streamlining the notifying particulars in electoral authorisations.

Reasons for Urgency

The Bill is urgent with the next federal election to be held on or before 21 May 2022. In order for relevant legislative changes to take effect and be implemented by the Australian Electoral Commission before the election, passage will be needed during this sitting period.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (COVID ENFRANCHISEMENT) BILL 2022

Purpose of the Bill

The objective of the proposed amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 is to ensure all voters are able to exercise their franchise by allowing the option to expand the availability of secure telephone voting (a version of which is currently used for blind and low vision voters and voters in the Antarctic) to voters who are unable to attend a polling place in the final 72 hours prior to the close of polls, and after the cut-off for postal vote applications, because they have tested positive to COVID-19, are a close/household contact of a positive case, or have otherwise been directed to self-isolate or quarantine under a public health order. This amendment is temporary and will be automatically repealed on 31 December 2022.

Reasons for Urgency

The Bill is urgent with the next federal election to be held on or before 21 May 2022. In order for relevant legislative changes to take effect and be implemented by the Australian Electoral Commission before the election, passage will be needed during this sitting period.

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

NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME AMENDMENT (PARTICIPANT SERVICE GUARANTEE AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL

Purpo se of the Bill

The bill gives effect to the Government's election commitment to legislate the Participant Service Guarantee following the practical completion of the NDIS rollout in 2020. The Bill also implements other recommendations of the 2019 Review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (the NDIS Act) (the Tune Review) to improve participant experiences in the NDIS, increase flexibility and reduce administrative red tape.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of the bill in the 2022 Autumn sittings will give effect to the Government's commitment to legislate the Participant Service Guarantee and improve the NDIS.

The measures in the Bill will implement recommendations of the Tune Review, which was an independent review of the NDIS Act informed by extensive stakeholder consultation. The Bill was also subject to a period of consultation and was updated following concerns raised during consultation.

Urgent passage of the Bill in the 2022 Autumn sittings will allow for these essential improvements that will benefit current and future participants, their carers and families to be implemented as soon as possible.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN SITTINGS

PARLIAMENTARY WORKPLACE REFORM (SET THE STANDARD MEASURES NO.1) BILL 2022

Purpose of the Bill

To respond to recommendations 17 and 24 in the Set the Standard: Report on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces (Jenkins Report).

The reforms in the legislative package will ensure Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces are safe and respectful and that the nation's Parliament reflects best practice in the prevention and handling of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The Bill will:

Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Age Discrimination Act 2004Disability Discrimination Act 1992

Reasons for Urgency

The Report was tabled on 30 November 2021 and recommended commencing progress on the reforms in this legislative package within three months of tabling.

The Bill will progress important reforms to help ensure that Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces are workplaces where expected standards of behaviour are modelled, championed and enforced, and where diversity is respected and encouraged.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2022 AUTUMN

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION BILL 2021

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION (CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2021

HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bills

Religious Discrimination Bill 2021

This Bill introduces a new piece of federal anti-discrimination legislation to make it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of that person's religious belief or activity (including lack of belief). In addition, the Bill establishes the statutory position of the Freedom of Religion Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021

This Bill makes amendments to a range of existing Acts consequential to the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021.

Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021

The Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill amends existing Commonwealth legislation to implement recommendations of the Religious Freedom Review, including to better protect the right to freedom of religion. Amended acts include:

Reasons for Urgency

In 2019 the Australian Government made an election promise to pass religious discrimination legislative protections, in response to the recommendations of the Report of the Religious Freedom Review. The Religious Discrimination legislation will address a gap in the Commonwealth anti-discrimination framework and render it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a person's religious belief or activity. The Religious Discrimination Bill will ensure that religious belief and activity is protected in the same manner as other existing attributes covered by anti-discrimination law, including race, age, disability and sex. The passage of the religious discrimination legislative package is a key priority for this term of government.