As at cob 11 December 2015
(2015 Final Edition)
Abbreviations
AG Australian Greens
ALP Australian Labor Party [Opp]
AMEP Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party
CLP Country Liberal Party [Govt]
FFP Family First Party
Ind Independent
KAP Katter—s Australian Party
LDP Liberal Democratic Party
LP Liberal Party of Australia [Govt]
Nats The Nationals [Govt]
PUP Palmer United Party
CID Consideration in detail stage (House of Representatives)
PM Private member—s bill
PS Private senator—s bill
R Restored to Notice Paper
SBC Senate Selection of Bills Committee
SC House of Representatives Selection Committee
A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Act 1999 to make amendments consequential on the repeal of the Medicare levy exemptions that currently apply to residents.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 52, 2015
PS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Amendment (A Stronger Land Account) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Siewert — AG)
Amends the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 to: clarify the purpose of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account; provide for excess returns from Land Account investments to be equally shared between the Account and the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC); provide that the minister may have regard to advice provided by the ILC about its financial requirements; provide for parliamentary review of any proposed changes to the ILC and the Land Account; provide for the establishment of a Nomination Committee to make recommendations about appointments to the ILC Board; require the ILC Board to establish a Risk and Audit Management Committee; limit the tenure and reappointments of directors; require the chair and directors to disclose all pecuniary interests; and require the ILC Board to determine a code of conduct.
Senate: Intro. 24/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 24/6/14
Reference (SBC report 8/14): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 26/6/14; extensions of time to report 17/7/14, 2/10/14, 27/11/14, 2/3/15; report tabled 25/3/15
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition (Sunset Extension) Bill 2015
Amends the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 to extend the operation of the Act by three years to 28 March 2018.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/2/15; Passed 26/2/15
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 5/3/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 14, 2015
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 to: alter the list of delegable functions and powers to include roads over Aboriginal land and access agreement matters and for other functions and powers to be delegated; enable the Executive Director of Township Leasing, on behalf of the Commonwealth, to hold a sublease of Aboriginal land; enable the transfer of the sublease between the executive director and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation; provide for the Aboriginals Benefit Account to be used for payments in relation to the acquisition and administration of the sublease by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation or the executive director; enable the minister to vary administrative areas of Land Councils at the written request of the relevant Land Councils; and add parcels of land in the Wickham River area, the Simpson Desert, and the Vernon Islands to be granted as Aboriginal land to the relevant Aboriginal Land Trusts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/11/15
CID amendments: 11 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; Passed 26/11/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 175, 2015
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015)
Amends the: Legislative Instruments Act 2003 to: amend the short title of the Act to the Legislation Act 2003 to reflect the consolidation of the legislative frameworks of the publication of Commonwealth Acts and the registration of Commonwealth instruments; clarify the definitions of —legislative instrument— and —legislative character—; provide that certain instruments are notifiable instruments which are registrable but not subject to parliamentary scrutiny or sunsetting; establish the Federal Register of Legislation; and allow the First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial changes to Acts and instruments in the register; Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to: clarify references to ministers, departments and other government authorities; and confirm the continued validity of the exercise of powers, functions and duties under Commonwealth agreements following machinery of government changes. Also consequentially repeals four Acts and amends 51 Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 2/12/14
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 12/2/15
Reference (SBC report 14/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 30/10/14; extension of time to report 24/11/14; report tabled 2/12/14
Committee amendment: 1 Govt/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendment 23/2/15]
Assent: 5/3/15; Act No. 10, 2015
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2015
Consequential on the Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015, the bill amends: 201 Acts to make technical amendments; the Legislation Act 2003 (or the Legislative Instruments Act 2003) to clarify that rules of court are not legislative instruments; the Family Law Act 1975 to clarify that provisions which set out the application of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 to rules of the Family Court apply to those rules whether they are made under the Family Law Act 1975 or another Act; and the Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015, Acts Interpretation Act 1901 and Legislation Act 2003 to: clarify the application of their requirements to administrative forms; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 18/8/15
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 19/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 126, 2015
PS Adelaide Airport Curfew Amendment (Protecting Residents— Amenity) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Wright — AG)
Amends the Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000 to: prevent the minister from approving international aircraft movements at Adelaide Airport during curfew shoulder periods; and make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 12/2/14; 2nd reading adjourned 12/2/14
Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Act 2006 to extend the levies in relation to certain obligations on approved providers to refund accommodation payment balances to Norfolk Island.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 55, 2015
S Aged Care Amendment (Independent Complaints Arrangements) Bill 2015
Amends the: Aged Care Act 1997 to: transfer responsibility for the management and resolution of aged care complaints from the Secretary of the Department of Social Services to the Aged Care Commissioner; rename the Aged Care Commissioner to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner; and make consequential amendments; and Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Act 2013 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 13/8/15; Passed 10/9/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; Passed 15/9/15
Assent: 13/10/15; Act No. 131, 2015
Aged Care Amendment (Red Tape Reduction in Places Management) Bill 2015
Amends the Aged Care Act 1997 to: deem that a transfer of places between providers has been approved unless the secretary vetoes the transfer; increase the provisional allocation period to four years; and limit the amount of extensions available for the allocation of provisionally allocated places to two 12-month periods with further extensions available only in exceptional circumstances.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/11/15; Passed 2/12/15
Airports Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Airports Act 1996 to: provide for the determination of an airport plan for Sydney West Airport; and provide options should Southern Cross Airports Corporation decline an offer to develop the airport; and Airports (Building Control) Regulations 1996 and Airports Regulations 1997 to make consequential amendments. Also provides for transitional arrangements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/6/15; Passed 16/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Committee amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 108, 2015
Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014
(Act citation: Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Act 2015)
Repeals 656 amending and repeal Acts enacted from 1970 to 1979.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 29/10/14
Senate: Intro. 30/10/14; Passed 11/2/15
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 3, 2015
Amending Acts 1980 to 1989 Repeal Bill 2015
Repeals 870 amending and repeal Acts enacted from 1980 to 1989.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 12/10/15
Senate: Intro. 12/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 146, 2015
Amending Acts 1990 to 1999 Repeal Bill 2015
Repeals 877 amending and repeal Acts enacted from 1990 to 1999.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 2/12/15
PS Anti-Money Laundering Amendment (Gaming Machine Venues) Bill 2012 [2013]
R (Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to: provide that poker machine payouts of more than $1000 and the cashing of transferred cheques are threshold transactions which are reportable to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre; require gaming machine venues to issue cheques for payouts of winnings or gaming machine credits over $1000 with an indication that they have been issued for that purpose; and impose penalties for failure to issue cheques in those circumstances.
Senate: Intro. 30/10/12; 2nd reading adjourned 30/10/12, 28/8/14
Reference: Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform 1/11/12; extensions of time to report 20/11/12, 13/3/13; report tabled in House and Senate 24/6/13
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 10/12/13
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the ordinary annual services of the government, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2014-2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/2/15; Passed 16/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 17/3/15; Passed 17/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 28, 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2014-2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/2/15; Passed 16/3/15
Senate: Intro. 17/3/15; Passed 17/3/15
Committee amendments: 4 LDP/negatived; 1 Schedule opposed (LDP)/Schedule agreed to; 1 clause opposed (LDP)/clause agreed to
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 29, 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2014-2015
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the ordinary annual services of the government, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2014-2015 and Appropriation Act (No. 3) 2014-2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 78, 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2014-2015
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2014-2015 and Appropriation Act (No. 4) 2014-2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 68, 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2015-2016
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the ordinary annual services of the government.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 76, 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2015-2016
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Committee amendment: 1 LDP/negatived
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 77, 2015
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2014-2015
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the parliamentary departments, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2014-2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/2/15; Passed 16/3/15
Senate: Intro. 17/3/15; Passed 17/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 30, 2015
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2015-2016
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the parliamentary departments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 79, 2015
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill 2015
Facilitates Australia—s membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by: providing authority and an appropriation for the payment of Australia—s capital contribution to the AIIB; enabling the minister to issue promissory notes to the AIIB; and enabling regulations to confer certain privileges and immunities.
House of Representatives: Intro. 13/8/15; Passed 7/9/15
Senate: Intro. 7/9/15; Passed 15/9/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/8/15; report tabled 15/9/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Committee amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Assent: 13/10/15; Act No. 134, 2015
Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014
Introduced with the Asset Recycling Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014, the bill establishes the Asset Recycling Fund to: enable grants of financial assistance to be made to the states and territories for expenditure incurred under the National Partnership Agreements on Asset Recycling and Land Transport Infrastructure Projects; make infrastructure national partnership grants; and enable the making of infrastructure payments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 29/5/14; Passed 19/6/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
CID amendments: 7 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 23/6/14; Passed 17/7/14
Reference (see item 8, Journals of the Senate 15/5/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 29/5/14; report tabled 16/6/14
Committee amendments: 20 Govt/passed; 15 Opp/passed; 3 AG/passed; 1 clause negatived (Govt); 4 subclauses negatived (Opp); 1 AG/negatived; 2 LDP to Opp/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendments nos 3, 4, 7 to 11, 14, 17, 18, 22, 24 to 26, 29, 30, 35, 38 and 39 and disagreed to Senate amendments nos 1, 2, 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19 to 21, 23, 27, 28, 31 to 34, 36 and 37, 17/7/14; Senate insisted on its amendments 18/7/14; House reported message from Senate insisting on its amendments 26/8/14]
Asset Recycling Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014
Introduced with the Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014, the bill makes consequential amendments to the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, DisabilityCare Australia Fund Act 2013, Future Fund Act 2006 and Nation-building Funds Act 2008 to: enable grants to the states and territories through the COAG Reform Fund; extend the Future Fund Board—s duties to manage the Asset Recycling Fund (ARF); and allow for amounts to be transferred between the ARF and Future Fund.
House of Representatives: Intro. 29/5/14; Passed 19/6/14
Senate: Intro. 23/6/14; Passed 17/7/14
Reference (see item 8, Journals of the Senate 15/5/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 29/5/14; report tabled 16/6/14
Committee amendments: 2 AG/passed
[House disagreed to Senate amendments 17/7/14; Senate insisted on its amendments 18/7/14; House reported message from Senate insisting on its amendments 26/8/14]
Australian Border Force Bill 2015
Introduced with the Customs and Other Legislation Amendment (Australian Border Force) Bill 2015, the bill: establishes the statutory office and role of the Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner; provides for the exercise of powers of the commissioner and ABF employees; provides for the issue of binding written directions in relation to the administration and control of the ABF and the department respectively, and the performance of functions or exercise of powers; provides the ability to require immigration and border protection workers to undergo alcohol and prohibited drug screening tests; establishes secrecy and disclosure provisions; and provides for the management of serious misconduct by employees.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/2/15; Passed 25/3/15
Senate: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 14/5/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report presented out of sitting 7/5/15
Committee amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 40, 2015
PS Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Local Content) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to include requirements for the production and dissemination of local content in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation—s Charter.
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/14
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 4/12/14; extension of time to report 25/3/15; report presented out of sitting 27/3/15
PS Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator McKenzie — Nats)
Amends the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to: amend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation—s (ABC) Charter in relation to the delivery of services to rural and regional Australia in each state and territory; impose certain requirements on the ABC and the ABC Board; and provide for the establishment, functions and membership of the Rural and Regional Advisory Council.
Senate: Intro. 1/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 1/12/15
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 20/6/16
PS Australian Centre for Social Cohesion Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
Establishes the Australian Centre for Social Cohesion and provides for: the director to develop and implement programs to improve social cohesion and prevent violent extremism; the director—s powers, appointment and terms and conditions of employment; and deputy directors, staff, consultants and delegations.
Senate: Intro. 9/2/15; 2nd reading adjourned 9/2/15
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (Repeal) (No. 1) Bill 2014
The bill: repeals the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 to abolish the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission; and provides for transitional arrangements, including the transfer of matters and the reporting obligations of the agency which succeeds the commission.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 19/3/14, 3/12/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/pending
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 4/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/3/14; report tabled 16/6/14
Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015
Amends the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to provide explicit powers for the cessation of Australian citizenship in specified circumstances where a dual citizen engages in terrorism-related conduct.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 30/11/15
Reference: Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 24/6/15; report presented to Senate out of sitting 4/9/15; report tabled in House 7/9/15
CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 30/11/15; Passed 3/12/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Xenophon)/withdrawn
Committee amendments: 2 LDP/negatived
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 166, 2015
Australian Citizenship Amendment (Intercountry Adoption) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Australian Citizenship Amendment (Intercountry Adoption) Act 2015)
Amends the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to provide access to citizenship for children adopted by Australian citizens through bilateral arrangements made by Australia with specific countries who are not parties to the Hague Convention on Protection and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption.
House of Representatives: Intro. 29/5/14; Passed 22/9/14
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; Passed 9/2/15
Reference (SBC report 6/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 17/6/14; report tabled 27/8/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 7, 2015
Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the: Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to: extend good character requirements; clarify residency requirements and related matters; clarify the circumstances in which a person—s approval as an Australian citizen may or must be cancelled; clarify the circumstances in which the minister may defer a person making the pledge of commitment to become an Australian citizen; clarify the circumstances in which a person—s Australian citizenship may be revoked; enable the minister to specify certain matters in a legislative instrument; enable the use and disclosure of personal information obtained under the Migration Act 1958 or the migration regulations; and make technical amendments; and Migration Act 1958 to enable the use and disclosure of personal information obtained under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 or the citizenship regulations.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/10/14; Passed 24/11/14
Senate: Intro. 25/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/11/14
Reference (SBC report 14/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 30/10/14; report tabled 1/12/14
Australian Crime Commission Amendment (Criminology Research) Bill 2015
Merges the functions of the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) into the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) by: amending the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 to enable the ACC to perform the AIC—s functions, including carrying out criminology research, sharing and publishing that research and carrying out commissioned research; and repealing the Criminology Research Act 1971 to abolish the AIC as a statutory agency.
House of Representatives: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 10/11/15
Senate: Intro. 10/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 10/11/15, 30/11/15
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report tabled 26/11/15
Australian Crime Commission Amendment (National Policing Information) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Crime Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Bill 2015, the bill merges the functions of the CrimTrac Agency into the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) by amending the: Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 to enable the ACC to perform CrimTrac—s functions, including providing national coordinated criminal history checks; and Crimes Act 1914, Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 and Privacy Act 1988 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Australian Crime Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Crime Commission Amendment (National Policing Information) Bill 2015, the bill enables the Australian Crime Commission to impose charges for applications for, and the provision of, national policing information services.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Australian Defence Force Cover Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to establish new superannuation arrangements for people joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on or after 1 July 2016, the bill establishes the Australian Defence Force Cover Scheme (ADF Cover) to provide ADF members with death and invalidity cover consistent with the benefits provided to members of the current Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 20/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 118, 2015
Australian Defence Force Superannuation Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to establish new superannuation arrangements for people joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on or after 1 July 2016, the bill: establishes the Australian Defence Force Superannuation Scheme (ADF Super) as an accumulation (or defined contribution) scheme available to either permanent ADF members or reservists on continuous full-time service; and enables ADF members to choose which superannuation scheme they belong to and give those members the ability to transfer their accumulated ADF Super benefits to a fund of their choice when they leave the ADF.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 20/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 119, 2015
PM Australian Education Amendment (School Funding Guarantee) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Shorten — ALP)
Amends the Australian Education Act 2013 to require the minister to be satisfied that a state or territory will not reduce or has not reduced its education budget before making a determination of Commonwealth school funding to that state or territory.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/5/14; Removed from Notice Paper 17/3/15
PS Australian Government Boards (Gender Balanced Representation) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senators Xenophon, Lambie and Lazarus — Ind and Senator Waters — AG)
The bill: requires Government boards to comprise of at least 40 per cent men and 40 per cent women; and provides for annual reporting requirements in relation to the gender composition of Government boards.
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 24/6/15
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 25/6/15; extension of time to report 7/9/15; report tabled 10/11/15
Australian Immunisation Register Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Immunisation Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2015, the bill establishes the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register to collect and record vaccinations given to individuals under the age of 20 years and provides for: the type of information that may be collected for the purposes of the register; the disclosure and confidentiality of information; and the Commonwealth to make payments to recognised vaccination providers when they notify the register of a vaccination.
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; Passed 12/10/15
Senate: Intro. 13/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 138, 2015
Australian Immunisation Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Immunisation Register Bill 2015, the bill amends: eight Acts to make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register; the proposed Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 and Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010 to expand the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register to become the Australian Immunisation Register which will record details of vaccinations given to all individuals; and the proposed Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 and National Health Act 1953 to expand the National Human Papilloma virus Vaccination Program Register to become the Australian School Vaccination Register.
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; Passed 12/10/15
Senate: Intro. 13/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 139, 2015
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Act 1989 to: amend the appointment process for members of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS); reduce the functions of AIATSIS; reflect contemporary language and apply culturally appropriate terminology; and remove redundant provisions which enabled the transition from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies to AIATSIS.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Senate: Intro. 1/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 1/12/15
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 to: adjust the licensing regime by enabling the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) to regulate remediation activities involving contaminated legacy sites, issue time limited licences, and issue single licences for multiple activities; clarify the application of the Act to contractors and others working with Commonwealth entities; provide ARPANSA with increased capacity to respond to emergencies and with increased compliance monitoring and enforcement powers; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 13/8/15
Senate: Intro. 17/8/15; Passed 18/8/15
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 25/6/15; report tabled 17/8/15
Committee amendment: 1 FFP/negatived
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 125, 2015
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Repeal) Bill 2014
The bill: repeals the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act 2011 to abolish the Australian Renewable Energy Agency; and provides for transitional arrangements, including the transfer of certain matters to the Department of Industry.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 1/9/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 2/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 2/9/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/6/14; report tabled 4/9/14
Australian River Co. Limited Bill 2015
The bill: provides for the transfer of assets and liabilities of Australian River Co. Limited (ARCo) to the Commonwealth in preparation for its voluntary deregistration; provides for the Commonwealth to become ARCo—s successor at law in relation to existing contracts or certain instruments; and ensures that ongoing issues in relation to ARCo can be managed by the Commonwealth as they arise.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 4/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 19/3/15
Assent: 1/4/15; Act No. 27, 2015
Australian Securities and Investments Commission Amendment (Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee Abolition) Bill 2014
Amends the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to: abolish the Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee; provide for transitional arrangements; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/12/14; Passed 2/3/15
Senate: Intro. 3/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/3/15
Reference (SBC report 1/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 12/2/15; report tabled 16/3/15
PM Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment (Restoring Merits Review) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 to restore the right of asylum seekers to access merits review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal if they are subject to an adverse or qualified security assessment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 1/9/14; Removed from Notice Paper 3/3/15
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2015, the bill: establishes the position of Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman to advocate for, and give assistance to, small business and family enterprises by providing for the ombudsman—s powers and functions, terms and conditions of appointment, and powers of delegation; and provides: for staffing matters; for other governance requirements; for disclosure of protected information; for review of certain decisions; and that state or territory laws are not excluded by the operation of this legislation.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 18/8/15
Reference (SBC report 7/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 18/6/15; extension of time to report 10/8/15; report tabled 18/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 123, 2015
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bill 2015, the bill: amends the Ombudsman Act 1976 to enable the Commonwealth Ombudsman to transfer complaints to the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO); and enables the Australian Small Business Commissioner to disclose to the ASBFEO relevant information and documents for the purposes of the ASBFEO—s functions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 18/8/15
Reference (SBC report 7/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 18/6/15; extension of time to report 10/8/15; report tabled 18/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 124, 2015
Automotive Transformation Scheme Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the Automotive Transformation Scheme Act 2009 to reduce the total amount of capped assistance available by $900 million, in anticipation of the scheme ceasing on 1 January 2018.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/9/14; Passed 2/10/14
Senate: Intro. 2/10/14; Discharged from Notice Paper 25/3/15
Reference (SBC report 12/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 25/9/14; report tabled 24/11/14
PS Automotive Transformation Scheme Amendment (Securing the Automotive Component Industry) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senators Rice and Simms — AG)
Amends the: Automotive Transformation Scheme Act 2009 to: broaden the objects of the Act; and apply principles to encourage investment in manufacturing sustainable transport options; and Automotive Transformation Scheme Regulations 2010 to: broaden the eligibility for Australian motor vehicle and automotive component manufacturers for assistance under the Automotive Transformation Scheme (ATS); and enable the minister to grant permission to certain persons to apply for registration under the ATS.
Senate: Intro. 10/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 10/11/15
Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Cargo) Bill 2015
Amends the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 to introduce the Known Consignor framework to align Australia—s air cargo security with international standards.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 24/11/15
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; Passed 26/11/15
Assent: 2/12/15; Act No. 165, 2015
Banking Laws Amendment (Unclaimed Money) Bill 2015
Amends the: Banking Act 1959 and Life Insurance Act 1995 to: extend to seven years the period before funds held by authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADI) and life insurance providers are treated as unclaimed moneys; and provide only authorised access to information on unclaimed moneys; Banking Act 1959 to: exempt ADI accounts created for children and those that are held in a foreign currency from the unclaimed money provisions; remove the requirement for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to publish details of unclaimed moneys in the Unclaimed Moneys Gazette; and expand the circumstances in which account holders can keep their ADI accounts active; and Freedom of Information Act 1982 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 13/8/15; Passed 7/9/15
Senate: Intro. 8/9/15; Passed 9/9/15
Assent: 16/9/15; Act No. 129, 2015
Biosecurity Bill 2014
(Act citation: Biosecurity Act 2015)
Part of a package of five bills to provide for a regulatory framework (which reflects and replaces the Quarantine Act 1908) to: manage biosecurity risks, the risk of contagion of a listed human disease, the risk of listed human diseases entering Australian territory, and risks related to ballast water, biosecurity emergencies and human biosecurity emergencies; and give effect to Australia—s international rights and obligations, including the International Health Regulations 2005, the World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 17/3/15
2nd reading amendments: 2 AG/negatived; 1 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived
Committee amendments: 8 Govt/passed; 18 AG/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendments 14/5/15]
Assent: 16/6/15; Act No. 61, 2015
Biosecurity (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Biosecurity (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015)
Part of a package of five bills to provide for a regulatory framework (which reflects and replaces the Quarantine Act 1908), the bill: repeals the Quarantine Act 1908 and Quarantine Charges (Collection) Act 2014; makes consequential amendments to 20 Acts to update references to managing biosecurity risk under the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014, and substitute references to the Quarantine Act 1908 with the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014; and makes transitional arrangements in relation to the management of biosecurity risks from the Quarantine Act 1908 to the new biosecurity framework under the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 17/3/15
Assent: 16/6/15; Act No. 62, 2015
Broadcasting and Other Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Bill 2015
(Previous title: Broadcasting and Other Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Bill 2014)
Amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: remove certain requirements that related to the initial planning of services in the broadcasting services bands spectrum; remove the requirement for reports made by certain subscription television licensees and channel providers under the New Eligible Drama Expenditure Scheme to be independently audited; remove the requirement for codes of practice to be periodically reviewed; remove the requirement for certain licensees to provide an annual list of their directors; clarify the calculation of media diversity points in overlapping licence areas; provide for grandfathering arrangements for certain broadcasting licensees; and make technical amendments for references to legislative instruments; Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and Radiocommunications Act 1992 to remove redundant licensing and planning provisions that regulated the digital switchover and restack processes; and Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, Radiocommunications Act 1992 and Datacasting Charge (Imposition) Act 1998 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 25/2/15
CID amendments: 4 Opp/passed
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 3/3/15
Reference (SBC report 14/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 30/10/14; report tabled 9/2/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Committee amendments: 2 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 22, 2015
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Radio) Bill 2015
Amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and Radiocommunications Act 1992 to: remove the restricted datacasting licence category; remove the requirement for the digital radio moratorium period; remove spent provisions; and make consequential amendments; Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to remove the minister—s role in the setting of the digital radio start-up day in regional licence areas; and Radiocommunications Act 1992 to amend the definition of —non-foundation digital radio multiplex transmitter licence— to exclude category 3 multiplex licences.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Primary Television Broadcasting Service) Bill 2015
Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: enable commercial and national free-to-air broadcasters to provide their primary television broadcasting services in standard definition or high definition; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 8/9/15
Senate: Intro. 9/9/15; Passed 9/9/15
Assent: 16/9/15; Act No. 127, 2015
Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013
Introduced with the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013, the bill: repeals the Fair Work (Building Industry) Act 2012; makes consequential amendments to the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977, Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 and Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987; amends the proposed Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Act 2013 as a consequence of new Australian Privacy Principles; and provides for transitional arrangements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/11/13; Passed 12/12/13
Senate: Intro. 11/2/14; Negatived at 2nd reading 17/8/15
References:
SBC report 9/13: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 14/11/13; report tabled 2/12/13; correction tabled 3/12/13
Provisions of bill and related matter referred to Senate Education and Employment References Committee 4/12/13; report tabled 27/3/14
Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013
Introduced with the Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, the bill: re-establishes the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABC Commissioner) and the Australian Building and Construction Commission; enables the minister to issue a Building Code; provides for the appointment and functions of the Federal Safety Commissioner; prohibits certain unlawful industrial action; prohibits coercion, discrimination and unenforceable agreements; provides the ABC Commissioner with powers to obtain information; provides for orders for contraventions of civil remedy provisions and other enforcement powers; and makes miscellaneous amendments in relation to self-incrimination, protection of liability against officials, admissible records and documents, protection and disclosure of information, powers of the Commissioner in certain proceedings, and jurisdiction of courts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/11/13; Passed 12/12/13
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 11/2/14; Negatived at 2nd reading 17/8/15
References:
SBC report 9/13: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 14/11/13; report tabled 2/12/13; correction tabled 3/12/13
Provisions of bill and related matter referred to Senate Education and Employment References Committee 4/12/13; report tabled 27/3/14
Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010 to: enable building owners who receive unsolicited offers for the sale or lease of their office space and transactions between wholly-owned subsidiaries to be excluded from energy efficiency disclosure obligations; enable certain auditing authorities to directly provide or approve ratings used in Building Energy Efficiency Certificates (BEEC); enable businesses to nominate a commencement date for a BEEC which is later than the date of issue; remove the need for new owners and lessors to reapply or pay the application fee for fresh exemptions if there is an existing one in place for a building; and remove the standard energy efficiency guidance from each BEEC.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 3/12/14
Senate: Intro. 5/12/14 a.m. (Journals of the Senate 4/12/14); Passed 12/2/15
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 1, 2015
Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014
(Act citation: Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Act 2015)
Introduced with the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014, the bill responds to the Federal Court—s decision in Nojin v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] FCAFC 192 by establishing a payment scheme for supported employees with intellectual impairment in Australian Disability Enterprises who previously had their wages assessed under the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool.
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/6/14; Passed 17/6/14
Senate: Intro. 19/6/14; Negatived in committee of the whole 24/11/14 [Question—That the bill, as amended, subject to requests, be agreed to—negatived]
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 19/6/14; extension of time to report 26/8/14; report tabled 27/8/14
Committee amendments: 11 Govt/passed; 3 PUP/passed; 7 Opp/negatived
Committee requests for amendments: 3 Govt/passed; 18 Opp/negatived
Bill recommitted (as previously amended) 17/3/15; Passed 16/6/15
Further committee amendments: 28 Govt/passed (includes 6 amendments to Govt amendments previously agreed to); 3 Opp/negatived; 1 clause opposed (Opp)/clause agreed to
Further committee requests for amendments: 19 Opp/negatived
[House made Senate requests for amendments 16/6/15; House agreed to Senate amendments 17/6/15]
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 111, 2015
Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Bill 2014, the bill amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme.
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/6/14; Passed 17/6/14
Senate: Intro. 19/6/14; Negatived in committee of the whole 24/11/14 [Question—That the bill be agreed to—negatived]
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 19/6/14; extension of time to report 26/8/14; report tabled 27/8/14
Bill recommitted 17/3/15; Passed 15/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 112, 2015
PS Charter of Budget Honesty Amendment (Intergenerational Report) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
Amends the: Parliamentary Service Act 1999 to: require the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) to prepare an intergenerational report for the Treasurer every five years; and enable the PBO to request a Commonwealth body to provide information that is relevant to the preparation of that report; and Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 17/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 17/3/15
PM Charter of Budget Honesty Amendment (Regional Australia Statements) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Ms McGowan — Ind)
Amends the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998 to require the Treasurer to release and table regular regional Australia statements to provide information to allow assessment of the impact of government policy decisions on regional Australia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/3/15; Removed from Notice Paper 15/9/15
S Civil Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Civil Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the: Bankruptcy Act 1966 in relation to: the Official Trustee; the Official Receiver; the National Disability Insurance Scheme; the offence of concealment; declarations in statements received electronically; indictable and summary offences; and the location of certain offences in the Act; International Arbitration Act 1974 to clarify the application of the Act to certain international arbitration agreements; Family Law Act 1975 to: make technical amendments; clarify the appeal rights available for court security orders; and create access to the Family Court of Australia for court security orders made by the Family Court of Western Australia; Court Security Act 2013 to: provide for the disposal of unclaimed items seized by or given upon request to court security officers; and clarify the processes by which court security orders can be varied and revoked; Evidence Act 1995 to: reflect changes to the Model Uniform Evidence Bill; remove all references to the Australian Capital Territory; and make technical amendments; Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 to enable the National Cultural Heritage Committee to continue to function when membership falls below the maximum number; and Copyright Act 1968 to extend the legal deposit scheme to include work published in electronic format.
Senate: Intro. 29/10/14; Passed 12/2/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/2/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 17/8/15; Act No. 113, 2015
S Civil Law and Justice (Omnibus Amendments) Bill 2015
Amends: the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 in relation to: notification of applications for review; non-disclosure of certain information; the method of giving documents or things for the purposes of proceedings; tribunal members— powers to dismiss certain applications; and the reinstatement of withdrawn applications; the Bankruptcy Act 1996 in relation to: confidentiality requirements relating to statements of affairs; removal of certain requirements to notify, and lodge requests with, the Official Receiver; imposition of time limits for certain applications; and removal of an obsolete reference; the Evidence Act 1995 to make a drafting change; the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 to: provide arresters with the power to use reasonable force to enter premises to execute an arrest warrant; and remove an obsolete reference; the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 in relation to: the jury empanelment process; the pre-trial process for indictable offences; and technical amendments; the International Arbitration Act 1974 in relation to: enforcement of foreign arbitral awards; confidentiality provisions to arbitral proceedings; and technical amendments; and 10 Acts to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 14/9/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/9/15; Passed 15/9/15
Assent: 13/10/15; Act No. 132, 2015
Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2014
Part of a package of 11 bills to remove the carbon pricing mechanism, the bill: repeals the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act 2012 to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC); amends the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act 2011 and Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011 to make amendments consequential on the repeal; abolishes the CEFC Transitional Special Account established as a temporary measure; and provides for transitional arrangements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 23/6/14, 26/6/14
Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013 [No. 2]
Part of a package of 11 bills to remove the carbon pricing mechanism, the bill: repeals the Climate Change Authority Act 2011 to abolish the authority; amends the: Clean Energy Act 2011, Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011, National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 and Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 to provide for certain periodic reviews of climate change measures to be undertaken by the minister; and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011, Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997 to make amendments consequential on the repeal; and enables the transfer of the authority—s assets and liabilities to the Commonwealth.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/14; Passed 26/6/14
Senate: Intro. 7/7/14; 2nd reading adjourned 7/7/14, 10/7/14
Reference (SBC report 8/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 26/6/14; report tabled 8/7/14
PS Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Above the Line Voting) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: remove group voting tickets; and provide for an optional preferential system for voting above and below the line for Senate elections.
Senate: Intro. 13/11/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/11/13
References:
SBC report 9/13: Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 14/11/13; report tabled 12/12/13
Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 12/12/13; statement discharging committee—s requirement to present a report made in House 24/2/14 and tabled in Senate 3/3/14
PS Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donations Reform) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit political donations from certain industries and from industry representative organisations whose majority members are prohibited donors.
Senate: Intro. 4/12/14; 2nd reading adjourned 4/12/14
PS Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Reducing Barriers for Minor Parties) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to decrease to $500 and $1000, respectively, the nomination deposit that must be paid by or on behalf of candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Senate: Intro. 4/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 4/3/14
PS Commonwealth Grants Commission Amendment (GST Distribution) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Wang — PUP)
Amends the Commonwealth Grants Commission Act 1973 to require the Commonwealth Grants Commission, when considering the capacity of a state or territory to raise mining revenue in preparing its annual recommendation on the distribution of goods and services tax revenue, to only take into account the most recent financial year for which mining revenue data is available.
Senate: Intro. 13/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/10/15, 15/10/15
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report due 16/3/16
Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Telecommunications (Numbering Charges) Amendment Bill 2015, the bill amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: amend account keeping and licence fee administration arrangements for commercial broadcasters and datacasting transmitter licensees; remove duplicative requirements for licensees, publishers and controllers to notify the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of certain changes in control of regulated media assets; and provide a consistent classification arrangement for all television programs, including films; Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to clarify the complaints handling and information gathering functions of the ACMA; Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to remove the ability of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to issue tariff filing directions to certain carriers and carriage service providers; Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and Telecommunications Act 1997 to amend the statutory information collection powers of the ACMA and the ACCC; Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to make technical amendments; and Telecommunications Act 1997 and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to enable the development of an industry-based scheme for the management of telephone numbering resources. Also repeals 53 Acts and removes redundant provisions in four Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Communications Legislation Amendment (SBS Advertising Flexibility and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to: increase the restriction of no more than five minutes per hour of advertising to 10 minutes of advertising in any hour of broadcasting on the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS); and clarify SBS—s ability to earn revenue through the broadcast of programs containing product placement; and Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 and Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to: provide consistency between the Acts; remove redundant provisions; and add a reference to digital media services. Also repeals 26 Acts and removes redundant provisions in four Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 26/5/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 24/6/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 26/3/15; interim report presented out of sitting 8/5/15; extension of time for final report 12/5/15; final report presented out of sitting 29/5/15; correction tabled 23/6/15
PS Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Country of Origin Food Labelling) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG and Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to: create specific requirements for country of origin labelling for food; extend country of origin labelling to all packaged and unpackaged food for retail sale; restrict the range of labelling to three kinds of claim; and create penalties and defences; and Imported Food Control Act 1992 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 12/2/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/2/15
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Deregulatory and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to: remove the requirement for reporting a food-related death, serious injury or illness to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC); remove the requirement for litigants to obtain ministerial consent to bring an action for a breach of the Act that takes place overseas; enable consumers to seek redress in state and territory courts and tribunals for breaches of the Act; remove the requirement for the ACCC to maintain a register of certain records when they hold conferences for product safety bans; enable the ACCC to share certain notices it receives with specified agencies to protect public safety; clarify the operation of the cooling-off period for unsolicited consumer agreements; permit the ACCC to seek a court order directing a person to comply with a notice to obtain information, documents and evidence; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 18/3/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report tabled 13/5/15
PS Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to enable the Federal Court of Australia to require a corporation to reduce its market share or power within two years where the corporation is found to have misused that market share or power.
Senate: Intro. 6/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 6/3/14
Reference (SBC report 3/14): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/3/14; extensions of time to report 17/6/14, 15/7/14, 4/12/14; report presented out of sitting 26/2/15
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Payment Surcharges) Bill 2015
Amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to: establish a framework to ban surcharges imposed in respect of particular payment methods that exceed the cost of acceptance for those payment methods; and provide the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with additional powers to gather information and issue infringement notices in enforcing the ban on excess surcharges.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
S Construction Industry Amendment (Protecting Witnesses) Bill 2015
Amends the Fair Work (Building Industry) Act 2012 to extend the period during which the Director of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate can apply to a nominated Administrative Appeals Tribunal presidential member for an examination notice by a further two years (until 1 June 2017).
Senate: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 11/5/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report presented out of sitting 8/5/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 13/5/15
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 45, 2015
Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015
Amends the Copyright Act 1968 to enable copyright owners to apply to the Federal Court of Australia for an order requiring a carriage service provider to block access to an online location operated outside Australia that has the primary purpose of infringing copyright or facilitating the infringement of copyright.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 16/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendment: 1 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 26/3/15; extension of time to report 12/5/15; interim reports presented out of sitting 29/5/15, 9/6/15; final report presented out of sitting 11/6/15
2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp/passed; 1 AG/negatived
Committee amendments: 9 AG/negatived
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 80, 2015
Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding) Bill 2015
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to: establish a framework to facilitate crowd-sourced funding offers by small unlisted public companies; provide new public companies that are eligible to crowd fund with temporary relief from reporting and corporate governance requirements that would usually apply; and enable the minister to provide that certain financial market and clearing and settlement facility operators are exempt from specified parts of the Australian Market Licence and clearing and settlement facility licencing regimes; and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 22/2/16
PS Corporations Amendment (Financial Advice) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Whish-Wilson — AG)
Amends the Corporations Act 2001 to provide that the term —advice— can only be used when financial advice takes account of a client—s personal financial situation by: replacing references to —general advice— with references to —general information—; and requiring that when —general information— is provided to a client, the client is warned that the information is not advice.
Senate: Intro. 2/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 2/9/14
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report tabled 11/8/15
PS Corporations Amendment (Publish What You Pay) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
Amends the Corporations Act 2001 to: require Australian companies involved in extractive industries to disclose any payments made to foreign countries over $100 000 on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis; and require the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to publish the Publish What You Pay reports on their website within 28 days of their receipt.
Senate: Intro. 28/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 28/10/14
Corporations Amendment (Streamlining of Future of Financial Advice) Bill 2014
Amends the Corporations Act 2001 to: remove the seventh step (the —catch all—) from the steps an advice provider may take in order to satisfy best interest obligations; enable clients and providers to agree on the scope of advice to be provided; remove the renewal notice obligations for fee recipients; remove the requirement to provide yearly fee disclosure statements to certain clients; extend the time period within which fee disclosure statements must be provided to a client; provide for a general advice exemption to exempt benefits that relate to general advice from the ban on conflicted remuneration in certain circumstances; provide additional disclosure and information in the statement of advice in relation to existing rights of the client and obligations of the advice provider; ensure that any instructions for further or varied advice from clients are documented in writing, signed by the client, and acknowledged by the providing entity; require the statement of advice to be signed by both the advice provider and the client; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; Passed 28/8/14
CID amendments: 7 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 1/9/14; Passed 24/11/15
References:
SBC report 3/14: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/3/14; report tabled 16/6/14
SBC report 11/14: Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 4/9/14; report tabled 22/9/14
Committee amendments: 16 Govt/passed; 38 items negatived (Govt); 2 sections negatived (Govt)
[House reported message from Senate returning bill with amendments 25/11/15]
Corporations Legislation Amendment (Deregulatory and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Corporations Legislation Amendment (Deregulatory and Other Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to: provide that a general meeting of a company must only be arranged if members with at least five per cent of voting shares make the request; reduce the remuneration reporting requirements; clarify the circumstances in which a financial year may be determined to be less than 12 months; and exempt certain companies limited by guarantee from the need to appoint or retain an auditor; and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to: enable members of the Takeovers Panel to perform duties while in Australia and overseas; and provide that the Remuneration Tribunal is responsible for setting the terms and conditions of chairs and members of the Financial Reporting Council, the Australian Accounting Standards Board and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 27/11/14
Senate: Intro. 1/12/14; Passed 2/3/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 11/2/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 19, 2015
S Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015
Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: enable the receipt of funds from terrorist organisations for legal assistance in certain circumstances; enable control orders to be imposed on persons from 14 years of age; impose an obligation on a person subject to a requirement to wear a tracking device to maintain the tracking device in good operational order; remove the authority of the Family Court of Australia to issue control orders and preventative detention orders (PDOs); clarify the meaning of —imminence— for the purposes of obtaining a PDO; and create a new offence prohibiting conduct advocating genocide; Crimes Act 1914, Surveillance Devices Act 2004 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to establish regimes to monitor the compliance of individuals subject to a control order through search warrants, surveillance device warrants and telecommunications interception warrants; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 to enable the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation to furnish security assessments directly to states and territories; Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to broaden the range of conduct that may be considered as advocating the doing of a terrorist act; Crimes Act 1914 to clarify the threshold requirements for the issue of a delayed notification search warrant; National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 to: broaden protections for national security information in control order proceedings; enable a court to make an order that is inconsistent with regulations made under the Act if the Attorney-General has applied for the order; and enable the regulations to continue to apply to the extent they provide for ways of dealing with national security information in criminal and civil proceedings; Taxation Administration Act 1953 to enable the disclosure of certain information; and Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 12/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/11/15
Reference: Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 12/11/15; report due 15/2/16
S Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976, Family Law Act 1975 and Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 to: designate the Federal Court of Australia (including the National Native Title Tribunal), the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia as a single administrative entity under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and a single statutory agency under the Public Service Act 1999; establish shared corporate services functions for the courts; maintain heads of jurisdiction—s responsibility in relation to the business and administrative affairs of their respective courts; provide for a chief executive officer (CEO) for each head of jurisdiction to assist with the management of administrative affairs and provide that the CEOs also hold the position of Principal Registrar; provide for the Federal Court CEO to have responsibility for managing the shared corporate services, with a requirement for consultation; and provide that the Federal Court CEO is the accountable authority for the administrative entity and the agency head for the statutory agency. Also makes consequential amendments to 16 Acts.
Senate: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 2/2/16
PM Credit Repayment (Protecting Vulnerable Borrowers) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
Provides that financial institutions with credit agreements to which a security over Australian land applies: must provide to defaulting borrowers notification of their claim of default and register the notification with an authorised government instrumentality; are prohibited from enforcing a right to re-possess or sell the land for a period of two years after default; are prohibited from imposing additional charges on the borrower that were not in place before the default arose; and require the borrower to continue to make interest payments on the credit amount. Also prevents confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/15
S Crimes Legislation Amendment (Harming Australians) Bill 2015
see also Criminal Code Amendment (Harming Australians) Bill 2013
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to extend the retrospective operation of the offences of murder and manslaughter of an Australian citizen or resident of Australia to crimes that occurred before 1 October 2002.
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 12/11/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 23/11/15
Assent: 30/11/15; Act No. 163, 2015
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bill 2015
Amends the Crimes Act 1914 to: increase the Commonwealth penalty unit from $170 to $180, effective from 31 July 2015; and index the penalty unit every three years to the consumer price index, effective from 1 July 2018.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 18/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 88, 2015
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Powers, Offences and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends: the Criminal Code Act 1995 to: make recklessness the fault element for attempted serious drug offences and remove the intent to manufacture element from offences relating to the importation of border controlled precursors; clarify that proof of an intention to influence a particular foreign official is not required to establish the offence; clarify the scope and application of the war crime offence of outrages upon personal dignity in a non-international armed conflict; expand the definition of forced marriage to apply when a person is incapable of understanding the nature and effect of a marriage ceremony; insert the concept of —knowingly concerned— in the commission of an offence as an additional form of secondary criminal liability; and introduce a mandatory sentence of five years imprisonment for firearm trafficking; the Crimes Act 1914 and Commonwealth Places (Application of Laws) Act 1970 to make amendments in relation to the sentencing, imprisonment and release of federal offenders; the Transfer of Prisoners Act 1983 to enable the interstate transfer of federal prisoners to occur at a location other than a prison for federal prisoners approved for transfer; the Crimes Act 1914 to: enable the Attorney-General—s Department to share information about federal offenders with relevant third party agencies; and clarify the operation of controlled operations provisions; the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to address enforceability issues and operational constraints identified by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre; the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 to: amend the powers and functions of the commissioner; and remove the time limits on the secondment of officers to the commission; the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 to make technical amendments in relation to the special operations and investigations of the commission; the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to increase penalties for failing to comply with a production order or with a notice to a financial institution in proceeds of crime investigations; the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Australian Federal Police Act 1979, Crimes (Superannuation Benefits) Act 1989 and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1987 to make technical amendments in relation to proceeds of crime; ten Acts to enable the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption of South Australia to access information from certain Commonwealth agencies, rely on defences for certain Commonwealth telecommunications offences, and apply for certain types of search warrants; and the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/15; Passed 12/8/15
CID amendments: 2 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 12/8/15; Passed 19/8/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 26/3/15; extensions of time to report 12/5/15, 15/6/15; report tabled 16/6/15
Committee amendments: 2 Schedules negatived (AG); 1 Ind (Lazarus)/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendments 10/11/15]
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 153, 2015
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Proceeds of Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to clarify the operation of the non-conviction based proceeds of crime regime in response to two recent court decisions; Criminal Code Act 1995 to: create two new offences of false dealing with accounting documents; and amend the serious drug offences to clarify the definitions of —drug analogue— and —manufacture— and to ensure that they capture all relevant substances and processes; Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to: expand the ability of designated officials and agencies to share information under the Act; and allow the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption of South Australia to access AUSTRAC information; and AusCheck Act 2007 to clarify and extend the circumstances under which AusCheck can disclose AusCheck background check information to the Commonwealth and to certain state and territory government agencies.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/11/15; Passed 3/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 3/2/16
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: introduce an offence for importing all substances that have a psychoactive effect; introduce an offence for importing a substance which is similar to a serious drug; introduce international firearms trafficking offences and mandatory minimum sentences; extend existing cross-border disposal or acquisition firearms offences; and clarify that certain slavery offences have universal jurisdiction; Customs Act 1901 to: ensure that Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers have appropriate powers in relation to the new offences; and create a procedure for dealing with claims for the return of seized psychoactive substances; International Transfer of Prisoners Act 1997 in relation to the international transfer of prisoners regime within Australia; and Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, Criminal Code Act 1995, Customs Act 1901, Financial Transaction Reports Act 1988 and Surveillance Devices Act 2004 to make minor and technical amendments. Also validates access by the AFP to certain investigatory powers in designated state airports from 19 March until 17 May 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/7/14; Passed 24/11/14
CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed; 2 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 26/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Reference (SBC report 9/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 17/7/14; report tabled 2/9/14
Committee amendments: 1 item negatived (Opp); 1 section negatived (Opp)
[House agreed to Senate amendments 23/2/15]
Assent: 5/3/15; Act No. 12, 2015
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the: Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to respond to eight of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement report Inquiry into Commonwealth unexplained wealth legislation and arrangements by: including a statement in the objects clause about undermining the profitability of criminal enterprise; ensuring that evidence relevant to unexplained wealth proceedings can be seized under a search warrant; addressing duplication in affidavit requirements; allowing the time limit for serving notice of a preliminary unexplained wealth order to be extended by a court in certain circumstances; harmonising provisions relating to the payment of legal expenses for unexplained wealth cases; allowing charges to be created over restrained property to secure payment of an unexplained wealth order; removing a court—s discretion to make unexplained wealth restraining orders, preliminary unexplained wealth orders and unexplained wealth orders once relevant criteria are satisfied; and expanding the parliamentary joint committee—s oversight of unexplained wealth investigations and litigation. Also amends the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to: make amendments consequential on the unexplained wealth changes; expand information sharing arrangements with state, territory and foreign authorities; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/3/14; Passed 25/9/14
Senate: Intro. 30/9/14; Passed 9/2/15
Reference (SBC report 2/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 6/3/14; extension of time to report 14/5/14; report presented out of sitting 5/6/14 and tabled 16/6/14
Committee amendments: 2 items opposed (AG)/items agreed to
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 6, 2015
PS Criminal Code Amendment (Animal Protection) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Back — LP)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to: insert new offences in relation to failure to report a visual recording of malicious cruelty to domestic animals, and interference with the conduct of lawful animal enterprises; and make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 11/2/15; 2nd reading adjourned 11/2/15
Reference (SBC report 1/15): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 12/2/15; extension of time to report 12/5/15; interim report presented out of sitting 29/5/15; final report presented out of sitting 12/6/15
Criminal Code Amendment (Firearms Trafficking) Bill 2015
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to provide for a mandatory minimum sentence and increased maximum penalties for the offences of trafficking firearms or firearms parts within Australia, and into and out of Australia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 2/2/16
PS Criminal Code Amendment (Harming Australians) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
see also Crimes Legislation Amendment (Harming Australians) Bill 2015
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to extend provisions that make it an offence to murder, commit manslaughter or intentionally or recklessly cause serious harm to an Australian citizen or resident outside Australia to conduct that occurred before 1 October 2002.
Senate: Intro. 11/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 11/12/13
Reference (SBC report 11/13): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/12/13; extension of time to report 4/3/14; interim report presented out of sitting 28/5/14 and tabled 16/6/14; extensions of time for final report 16/6/14, 3/12/14, 12/2/15, 22/6/15; final report tabled 13/8/15
PS Criminal Code Amendment (Misrepresentation of Age to a Minor) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to: create a criminal offence for a person over 18 years of age to intentionally misrepresent their age in online communications to a person they reasonably believe to be under 16 years of age for the purposes of encouraging a physical meeting, or with the intention of committing an offence; and impose penalties.
Senate: Intro. 12/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 12/12/13
Reference (SBC report 11/13): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/12/13; extensions of time to report 12/2/14, 25/3/14; interim report presented out of sitting 28/5/14 and tabled 16/6/14; extensions of time for final report 16/6/14, 3/12/14, 12/2/15, 22/6/15; final report tabled 13/8/15
PM Criminal Code Amendment (Private Sexual Material) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Watts and Ms Butler — ALP)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to insert new offences in relation to the use of a carriage service for private sexual material (image-based sexual exploitation, or —revenge porn—).
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/10/15
Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2015
Introduced with the Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Amendment Bill 2015, the bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to: reduce deadlines for submissions to the Anti-Dumping Commission in response to dumping and subsidisation investigations; require anti-dumping notices to be published electronically; consolidate lodgement provisions for anti-dumping applications and submissions; clarify the length of the investigation period in anti-dumping matters, cumulative assessment of injury, normal value provisions, the calculation of the dumping margin, material injury determinations, effective notice periods, and the definition of a subsidy; provide that the minister is not required to have regard to the lesser duty rule where a country has not submitted a notification of its subsidies; introduce a fee and raise procedural and legal thresholds for applications to review anti-dumping decisions; streamline merits review processes of the Anti-Dumping Review Panel; and abolish the International Trade Remedies Forum.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 17/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Xenophon)/passed (reference to committee—see below)
Reference: Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 18/3/15; interim report presented out of sitting 1/5/15; final report presented out of sitting 8/5/15
Committee amendments: 3 Parts negatived (1 Opp; 2 Ind (Xenophon)); 1 Ind (Xenophon)/withdrawn
[House agreed to Senate amendments 13/5/15]
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 42, 2015
Customs Amendment (Australian Trusted Trader Programme) Bill 2015
Amends the: Customs Act 1901 to establish the Australian Trusted Trader Programme which will introduce a differentiated trust-based regulatory framework at the border for those entities that meet or exceed international supply chain security and trade compliance standards; and Australian Border Force Act 2015 to make a consequential amendment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 16/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 18/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 3/6/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 73, 2015
Customs Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Customs Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the Customs Act 1901 to: provide that authorisations apply to offices or positions which come into existence after the authorisation to a class of offices is given; extend customs control to goods on board a ship or aircraft arriving at non-proclaimed areas of the Australian coastline; provide different reporting timeframes for the arrival of certain ships or aircraft and the details of their stores and any prohibited goods; standardise the application process for permissions to load and unload ships— and aircraft—s stores, permissions to transfer goods between certain vessels, and applications for a Certificate of Clearance; extend customs powers of examination to the baggage of domestic passengers on international flights and voyages, and to domestic cargo that is carried on an international flight or voyage; and correct a technical error relating to the interaction of the Infringement Notice Scheme with the claims process when dealing with prohibited imports.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/7/14; Passed 26/11/14
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 11/2/15
Reference (SBC report 10/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 28/8/14; report tabled 30/9/14
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 4, 2015
Customs Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Customs Tariff Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015 to give effect to Australia—s obligations under Chapter 3 of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to: provide preferential rates of duty for Chinese originating goods; and impose certain obligations on exporters and producers of Australian goods who claim preferential tariff treatment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 22/10/15
CID amendments: 4 AG/negatived
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 9/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report presented out of sitting 6/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/passed
Committee amendments: 6 AG/negatived
Assent: 11/11/15; Act No. 136, 2015
Customs Amendment (Fees and Charges) Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to implement certain recommendations from the Joint Review of Border Fees, Charges and Taxes, the bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to: amend the amount of warehoused goods declaration fee payable; provide for the circumstances in which warehouse licence application charges, warehouse licence variation charges and warehouse licence grant and renewal charges are payable; provide for the circumstances in which customs broker licence application charges and customs broker licence grant and renewal charges are payable; and enable the charging of fees for service in respect of matters under the Act.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 141, 2015
Customs and Other Legislation Amendment (Australian Border Force) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Australian Border Force Bill 2015, the bill: repeals the Customs Administration Act 1985 to abolish the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the statutory office of the Chief Executive Officer of Customs; amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable the Australian Border Force Commissioner to exercise certain powers; amends the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to enable the commissioner to make a declaration that restricts or modifies the application of specified provisions; and makes consequential amendments to 58 Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/2/15; Passed 25/3/15
Senate: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 14/5/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report presented out of sitting 7/5/15
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 41, 2015
Customs Depot Licensing Charges Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to implement certain recommendations from the Joint Review of Border Fees, Charges and Taxes, the bill amends the Customs Depot Licensing Charges Act 1997 to: amend the short title of the Act to the Customs Licensing Charges Act 1997; amend the long title of the Act; impose charges on the processing of applications for warehouse licences, customs broker licences and variations to warehouse licences; and consolidate existing charges payable in relation to warehouse licences and customs broker licences.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 140, 2015
Customs Tariff Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Customs Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015 to give effect to Australia—s obligations under Chapter 3 of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the bill amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to: provide free rates of customs duty for most goods that are Chinese originating goods; maintain customs duty rates for certain Chinese originating goods; phase the preferential rates of customs duty for certain China originating goods to zero by the fifth year of phasing; and provide for the preferential and phasing rates of duty and maintain excise-equivalent rates of duty on certain alcohol, tobacco and petroleum products.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 22/10/15
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 9/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report presented out of sitting 6/11/15
Assent: 11/11/15; Act No. 137, 2015
Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014
see also Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Customs Tariff Act 1995 to index the rate of excise-equivalent customs duty applying to imported fuels, including gaseous fuels, in line with consumer price index movements; and Customs Tariff Amendment (Taxation of Alternative Fuels) Act 2011 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 25/6/14
Senate: Intro. 26/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 26/6/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/6/14; report tabled 7/7/14
Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2015
see also Customs Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Customs Tariff Act 1995 to: increase the rate of excise-equivalent customs duty applying to imported fuels, including gaseous fuels, in line with consumer price index movements; index excise-equivalent customs duty on imported fuel ethanol; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 100, 2015
Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Amendment Bill 2015
Introduced with the Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2015, the bill amends the Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Act 1975 to: require anti-dumping notices to be published electronically; provide that the minister is not required to have regard to the lesser duty rule where a country has not submitted a notification of its subsidies; and clarify that the minister may grant exemptions from dumping duty with limited retrospective effect.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 17/3/15
Senate: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Xenophon)/passed (reference to committee—see below)
Reference: Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 18/3/15; interim report presented out of sitting 1/5/15; final report presented out of sitting 8/5/15
Committee amendments: 1 Ind (Xenophon)/passed; 4 items negatived (Ind (Xenophon))
[House agreed to Senate amendments 13/5/15]
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 43, 2015
PS Defence Amendment (Fair Pay for Members of the ADF) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Lambie — Ind)
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to link annual wage increases for members of the Australian Defence Force to whichever is the higher of increases to either the parliamentary allowance or the consumer price index.
Senate: Intro. 2/12/14; Passed 19/3/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/15; Read a 1st time 19/3/15
PM Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Bandt — AG)
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to provide for parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Australian Defence Force.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/14; Removed from Notice Paper 10/2/15
S Defence Legislation Amendment (First Principles) Bill 2015
Implements recommendations of the First Principles Review of Defence by: amending the Defence Act 1903 to: give full command of the Australian Defence Force to the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF); and consolidate the statutory treatment of the components of the Defence Force Cadets; amending 27 Acts to make consequential amendments; and repealing the Air Force Act 1923 and Naval Defence Act 1910 and incorporating relevant provisions of these Acts into the Defence Act 1903.
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 10/11/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Assent: 2/12/15; Act No. 164, 2015
S Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements—Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements—Inspector-General ADF) Act 2015)
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to: strengthen and clarify the independence, powers and privileges of the Inspector-General ADF; provide a statutory basis to support regulatory change including the re-allocation of responsibility for investigation of service-related deaths and the management of the Australian Defence Force redress of grievance process to the Inspector-General ADF; and require the Inspector-General ADF to prepare an annual report.
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 5/3/15
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 4/12/14; report tabled 3/3/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/3/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 46, 2015
PS Defence Legislation Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Ludlam — AG)
Amends the: Defence Act 1903 to provide for parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Australian Defence Force; and Air Force Act 1923 and Naval Defence Act 1910 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 4/3/15
Defence Legislation Amendment (Superannuation and ADF Cover) Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to establish new superannuation arrangements for people joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on or after 1 July 2016, the bill amends: 10 Acts to make consequential amendments; the Air Force Act 1923, Defence Act 1903, Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 and Naval Defence Act 1910 to remove the need for permanent ADF members to take part-time leave without pay if they wish to render flexible service; and the proposed Australian Defence Force Superannuation Act 2015 to make amendments consequential on the Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 20/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 120, 2015
PS Defence Legislation Amendment (Woomera Prohibited Area) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Farrell — ALP)
see also Defence Legislation Amendment (Woomera Prohibited Area) Bill 2014
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to establish a framework for the administration of access to the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA) by: enabling the minister to make the Woomera Prohibited Area Rules to prescribe certain matters, including defining the WPA and the zones to be demarcated within that area; creating a permit system for access and use by non-defence users; introducing offences and penalties for entering the WPA without permission and for failing to comply with a condition of a permit; providing for compensation for any acquisition of property from a person otherwise than on just terms; and providing for a cap on compensation payable in respect of loss or damage in the WPA.
Senate: Intro. 12/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 12/12/13, 13/2/14, 20/3/14
Reference (SBC report 11/13): Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 12/12/13; extension of time to report 11/2/14; report tabled 4/3/14
Defence Legislation (Enhancement of Military Justice) Bill 2015
Amends the: Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to: clarify the character and status of service convictions for Commonwealth purposes; remove provisions in respect of the trial of offences under the law prior to the Act; create services offences of —assault occasioning actual bodily harm— and —unauthorised use of a Commonwealth credit card—; clarify the elements of the service offence of —commanding or ordering a service offence to be committed—; replace the power to issue recognisance release orders with a system of fixing non-parole periods; replace dollar amounts as maximum fines with a penalty units system; and make technical amendments; Defence Act 1903 and Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to recognise the office of the Director of Defence Counsel Services; and Military Justice (Interim Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009 to extend the appointment, remuneration and entitlement arrangements of the current Chief Judge Advocate and the full-time Judge Advocate.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 28/5/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 106, 2015
Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Defence Trade Controls Act 2012 in relation to: providing an additional 12-month implementation period before offence provisions and record-keeping requirements commence; removing controls on the supply of Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) technology; extending the exception to the offence of supplying DSGL technology without a permit; narrowing the scope of publication and brokering offences; establishing offences for brokering dual-use DSGL goods or technology; including additional exceptions to the brokering offence; prohibiting the brokering of military or dual-use DSGL technology where the supply would prejudice Australia—s defence, security or international relations; directing a person to seek a permit for brokering dual-use DSGL goods or technology; requiring the minister to consider prescribed criteria when deciding whether an activity would prejudice Australia—s security, defence or international relations; and reviews of the operation of the Act.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 4/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 18/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 31, 2015
Education Legislation Amendment (Overseas Debt Recovery) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Bill 2015 to create an overseas payment obligation for Australians living overseas with a Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) or Trade Support Loan (TSL) debt, the bill amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: allow the recovery of HELP debts from debtors residing overseas; provide that certain HELP debtors are required to register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO); prescribe administrative arrangements relating to the debt recovery; and require students to notify their tax file number when applying for a HELP loan; Trade Support Loans Act 2014 to allow the recovery of TSL debts from debtors who are residing overseas and provide that certain TSL debtors are required to register with the ATO; Taxation Administration Act 1953 to enable taxation officers to disclose protected information to foreign jurisdictions to identify those with student loan repayment obligations; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 15/10/15
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 9/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Committee amendments: 3 AG/negatived
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 154, 2015
Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015 to reform the international education sector, the bill amends the: Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, Education Services for Overseas Students (TPS Levies) Act 2012, National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to: create Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) agencies, including the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and the Australia Skills Quality Authority, with direct responsibility for providers— registration and monitoring providers— compliance; and extend the compliance monitoring and enforcement action that may be taken by an ESOS agency for a breach of either the English Language Courses for Overseas Students Standards or the Foundation Program Standards; Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 to: provide for an internal review process for decisions made by delegates of ESOS agencies; provide the minister with the power to issue a direction to an ESOS agency about the performance of its functions; enable the Tuition Protection Service (TPS) Director to obtain certain information or documents, be assisted by TPS officers, and recommend that an ESOS agency take action against a provider; enable providers to receive more than 50 per cent of the tuition fees for a course in certain circumstances; remove the definition of a —study period—; remove the requirement for non-exempt providers to maintain an account to which all tuition fees paid prior to a course commencing are held; and remove the requirement to report all instances of student default; and National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 19/10/15
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report tabled 30/11/15
Committee amendments: 1 Opp/passed; 4 items negatived (Opp)
[House agreed to Senate amendments 1/12/15]
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 171, 2015
Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015 to reform the international education sector, the bill amends the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Act 1997 to clarify that a registered education provider pays all entry to market charges but is not charged more than once if its registration period is less than two years and it seeks renewal of that registration.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 19/10/15
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report tabled 30/11/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 172, 2015
PS End Cruel Cosmetics Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Amends the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 to: prohibit the developing, manufacturing, selling, advertising or importing into Australia of cosmetics, or ingredients in cosmetics, which have been tested on live animals; amend the long title of the Act; and make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 18/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 18/3/14
Energy Grants and Other Legislation Amendment (Ethanol and Biodiesel) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Excise Tariff Amendment (Ethanol and Biodiesel) Bill 2015, the bill amends: the Customs Act 1901 to provide that: excise-equivalent customs duty cannot be extinguished on imported fuel ethanol and biodiesel; and excise-equivalent customs duty is payable on the biofuels component of an imported blend of fuel; the Excise Act 1901 to: provide that the exemption from the blending rule also applies where biofuels have been subject to different rates of duty; and remove the requirement that biofuel blends that have been subject to duty cannot be blended with other duty-paid fuels without being subject to excise duty; the Fuel Tax Act 2006 to require that fuel tax credits for fuel ethanol, and biodiesel and blends including certain biofuels are calculated as if they had been subject to the excise rate of duty, whether locally manufactured or imported; and four Acts to make consequential amendments. Also repeals the Energy Grants (Cleaner Fuels) Scheme Act 2004.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/6/15; Passed 16/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Economics Legislation Committee 4/6/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 81, 2015
Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014
(Act citation: Enhancing Online Safety for Children Act 2015)
Introduced with the Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014, the bill: establishes the Children—s e-Safety Commissioner and provides for the commissioner—s functions and powers; provides for a complaints system for cyber-bullying material targeted at an Australian child and a two-tiered system for rapid removal of that material from large social media services; provides for civil penalties, enforceable undertakings and injunctions; and establishes the Children—s Online Safety Special Account to fund the commissioner—s functions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 23/2/15
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 4/3/15
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 4/12/14; report tabled 3/3/15
Committee amendments: 2 Govt/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendments 5/3/15]
Assent: 24/3/15; Act No. 24, 2015
Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014, the bill amends: the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to provide the Children—s e-safety Commissioner with certain information gathering powers; and five Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 23/2/15
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 4/3/15
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 4/12/14; report tabled 3/3/15
Committee amendment: 1 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived
Assent: 24/3/15; Act No. 25, 2015
Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013
(Act citation: Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2015)
The bill: addresses implications arising from the Federal Court—s decision in Tarkine National Coalition Incorporated v Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities [2013] FCA 694 by ensuring the validity of specified decisions made prior to 31 December 2013 that require the minister to have regard to any relevant approved conservation advice; and amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 to provide additional protection for dugong and turtle populations from the threats of poaching, illegal trade and illegal transportation.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/11/13; Passed 9/12/13
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed; 2 AG/negatived
Senate: Intro. 11/12/13; Passed 12/2/15
Reference (SBC report 11/13): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 12/12/13; report tabled 12/2/14
Committee amendments: 1 Schedule negatived (AG); 25 AG/negatived; 2 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendment 23/2/15]
Assent: 5/3/15; Act No. 11, 2015
PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Alpine Grazing) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Di Natale — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to deem that the minister has received from the Victorian Government a referral of its proposal to trial cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park and decided that the trial of alpine grazing is unacceptable.
Senate: Intro. 13/5/14; 2nd reading adjourned 13/5/14
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in relation to bilateral agreements by providing that: states and territories can be accredited for approval decisions on large coal mining and coal seam gas developments likely to have a significant impact on a water resource; all states and territories can be declared for the purposes of requesting advice from the Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC); states and territories undertake to seek and take advice from the IESC for approval bilateral agreements which may have a significant impact on a water resource; the IESC provide advice to the Commonwealth about the operation of a bilateral agreement in relation to large coal mining and coal seam gas developments likely to have a significant impact on a water resource; an approval process can be completed when an approval bilateral agreement is suspended, cancelled or ceases to apply to a particular action; state and territory processes that meet the appropriate standards can be accredited for bilateral agreements; a relevant bilateral agreement continues to apply to an accredited state or territory management arrangement or authorisation process despite minor amendments to the arrangement or authorisation process; and proponents do not need to make referrals to the Commonwealth for actions that are covered by an approval bilateral agreement.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/5/14; Passed 16/6/14
CID amendments: 3 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 19/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 19/6/14, 1/9/14, 14/9/15
Reference (SBC report 5/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 15/5/14; report tabled 23/6/14
PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Ludwig — ALP)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: enable commercial fishing activities to be declared commercial fishing activities on an interim basis or for a period of no longer than 24 months; require written submissions of declaration affected persons to be considered before making final declarations; create penalties and offences for engaging in declared commercial fishing activities; provide for an expert panel to be established to conduct an assessment of the potential environmental impacts of declared commercial fishing activities; and require the expert panel to publish its assessments and table them in Parliament.
Senate: Intro. 19/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 19/3/14, 28/8/14, 2/10/14, 27/11/14, 5/3/15
PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Live Imports of Primates for Research) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to prohibit the import of live primates for research purposes.
Senate: Intro. 17/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 17/9/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report due 1/3/16
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Standing) Bill 2015
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to provide that only aggrieved persons (as defined by section 5 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977) may make an application for judicial review of decisions made under the EPBC Act.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 10/9/15
Senate: Intro. 14/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 14/9/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 20/8/15; extension of time to report 12/10/15; report presented out of sitting 18/11/15
Excess Exploration Credit Tax Bill 2014
(Act citation: Excess Exploration Credit Tax Act 2015)
Introduced with the Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 7) Bill 2014, the bill imposes an excess exploration credit tax to recover any costs to the Commonwealth that may arise where an exploration company issues exploration credits in excess of their maximum exploration credit entitlement.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/12/14; Passed 25/2/15
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 3/3/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 17, 2015
Excise Tariff Amendment (Ethanol and Biodiesel) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Energy Grants and Other Legislation Amendment (Ethanol and Biodiesel) Bill 2015, the bill amends the Excise Tariff Act 1921 to: reduce the rates of excise duty for domestically manufactured fuel ethanol and biodiesel to nil for one year from 1 July 2015; increase the rates of excise duty for domestically manufactured fuel ethanol and biodiesel on 1 July of each subsequent year until the final rates are reached on 1 July 2020; and remove grants for biodiesel and renewable diesel from 1 July 2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/6/15; Passed 16/6/15
CID amendment: 1 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Economics Legislation Committee 4/6/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Committee amendment: 1 Govt/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendment 22/6/15]
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 82, 2015
Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014
see also Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Excise Tariff Act 1921 to index the rate of excise applying to domestic fuels, including gaseous fuels, in line with consumer price index movements; and Excise Tariff Amendment (Taxation of Alternative Fuels) Act 2011 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 25/6/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 26/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 26/6/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/6/14; report tabled 7/7/14
Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2015
see also Excise Tariff Amendment (Fuel Indexation) Bill 2014
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Excise Tariff Act 1921 to: increase the rate of excise duty applying to domestic fuels, including gaseous fuels, in line with consumer price index movements; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 101, 2015
Export Charges (Collection) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage exported goods, the bill provides for the collection of export charges by: providing that regulations prescribe when export charges are due and payable; making the Commonwealth notionally liable to pay fees, including late payment fees; requiring a late payment fee to be paid when a charge is not paid on time; empowering the secretary to take certain action when a charge or late payment fee is not paid; enabling the Commonwealth to recover any charge and late payment fee through action in court; and providing for the administration of the charges.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 92, 2015
Export Charges (Imposition—Customs) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage exported goods, the bill imposes an export charge on regulated goods, to the extent that it is a duty of customs.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 93, 2015
Export Charges (Imposition—Excise) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage exported goods, the bill imposes an export charge on regulated goods, to the extent that it is a duty of excise.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 94, 2015
Export Charges (Imposition—General) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage exported goods, the bill imposes an export charge on regulated goods, to the extent that it is neither a duty of customs nor a duty of excise.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 95, 2015
Export Control Amendment (Quotas) Bill 2015
Consolidates quota export certification arrangements for agriculture by amending the: Export Control Act 1982 to: provide the secretary with powers to make orders providing for, or in relation to, the establishment and administration of a system or systems of tariff rate quotas; and enable the secretary to make directions in relation to matters covered by an order, and to override the order; and Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997, Dairy Produce Act 1986 and Export Charges (Collection) Act 2015 to make consequential amendments. Also repeals the Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Senate: Intro. 1/12/15; Passed 3/12/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 167, 2015
Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act 1991 to: expand the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation—s (EFIC) powers to enable direct lending for export transactions involving all goods (not just capital goods); and require EFIC to pay a debt neutrality charge or guarantee fee, and a tax equivalent payment, in relation to all its operations.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 26/11/14
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 4/3/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 11/2/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 18, 2015
Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Act 2012 to: cap the maximum amount of redundancy pay entitlement available under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme at 16 weeks; and make technical amendments to clarify the operation of the scheme.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/9/14; Passed 30/9/14
Senate: Intro. 1/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 1/10/14
Reference (SBC report 11/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 4/9/14; report tabled 25/9/14
PS Fair Trade (Australian Standards) Bill 2013
R (Introduced by Senator Madigan — Ind)
Requires trade agreements to include a binding requirement that goods sold comply with all applicable product standards that apply in the purchaser—s country or that the selling company or entity selling the products ensures that the goods are improved to Australian product standards.
Senate: Intro. 27/6/13; 2nd reading adjourned 27/6/13, 5/12/13, 27/11/14
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 3/12/13
PS Fair Trade (Workers— Rights) Bill 2013
R (Introduced by Senator Madigan — Ind)
Requires the Commonwealth, through the minister, to ensure that an amended or new trade agreement with a country includes a binding agreement for minimum standards about workers— rights in that country—s domestic law.
Senate: Intro. 20/6/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/6/13
Reference (SBC report 8/13): Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 27/6/13; report due first sitting day in February 2014 [but see reference below]
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 13/11/13
Reference: Bill re-referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 4/12/13; report tabled 4/3/14
Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: provide for an additional approval requirement for enterprise agreements that are not greenfields agreements; require the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to have regard to a range of non-exhaustive factors to guide its assessment of whether an applicant for a protected action ballot order is genuinely trying to reach an agreement; and provide that the FWC must not make a protected action ballot order when it is satisfied that the claims of an applicant are manifestly excessive or would have a significant adverse impact on workplace productivity.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; 2nd reading adjourned 10/2/15
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 4/12/14; extension of time to report 25/3/15; report presented out of sitting 13/4/15
Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Fair Work Amendment Act 2015)
see also Fair Work Amendment (Remaining 2014 Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to: requests for extended periods of unpaid parental leave; the payment of annual leave upon termination of employment; taking or accruing leave while receiving workers— compensation; the requirements for flexibility terms in modern awards and enterprise agreements and individual flexibility arrangements made under those terms; the negotiation of single-enterprise greenfields agreements; the transfer of business rules; an application for a protected action ballot order; the right of entry framework; the Fair Work Commission not having to hold a conference or hearing to dismiss an unfair dismissal application; and interest payments on unclaimed monies.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/2/14; Passed 27/8/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 27/8/14; Passed 13/10/15
Reference (SBC report 2/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 6/3/14; report presented out of sitting 5/6/14 and tabled 16/6/14
Committee amendments: 4 AMEP-FFP-Ind (Lazarus and Madigan)/agreed to; 1 AMEP-FFP-PUP-Ind (Xenophon, Lazarus and Madigan)/agreed to; 1 Ind (Lazarus)/agreed to; 6 Parts negatived (AMEP-FFP-Ind (Lazarus and Madigan)); 9 clauses negatived (AMEP-FFP-Ind (Lazarus and Madigan)); 6 Opp/negatived; 4 AG/negatived; 2 FFP/negatived; 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to; 2 Parts opposed (1 Opp; 1 LDP)/Parts agreed to; 11 items opposed (Opp)/items agreed to; 2 clauses opposed (1 Opp; 1 LDP)/clauses agreed to
[House agreed to Senate amendments 11/11/15]
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 156, 2015
PS Fair Work Amendment (Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: remove restrictions on employees— rights to disclose the amount of, or information about, their pay or earnings; and prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees for disclosing this information.
Senate: Intro. 17/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 17/9/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report due 12/5/16
PS Fair Work Amendment (Penalty Rates Exemption for Small Businesses) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP and Senator Day — FFP)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to remove the requirement that certain small businesses pay penalty rates unless the work is performed on a weekend and is in addition to 38 hours of work over a seven day period, is in addition to ten hours of work in a 24-hour period, or is performed on a public holiday.
Senate: Intro. 13/8/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/8/15, 17/9/15
PM Fair Work Amendment (Prohibiting Discrimination Based On Location) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Christensen — Nats)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to make it unlawful for an employer to take adverse action against an employee or potential employee based upon where they live.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 19/10/15
PM Fair Work Amendment (Recovery of Unpaid Amounts for Franchisee Employees) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Bandt — AG)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to provide for employees employed by a franchisee to recover unpaid remuneration from the franchisor.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/10/15
Fair Work Amendment (Remaining 2014 Measures) Bill 2015
see also Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to: the payment of annual leave upon termination of employment; taking or accruing leave while receiving workers— compensation; the requirements for flexibility terms in modern awards and enterprise agreements and individual flexibility arrangements made under those terms; the transfer of business rules; the right of entry framework; and the Fair Work Commission not having to hold a conference or hearing to dismiss an unfair dismissal application.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 4/2/16
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014
see also Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013 and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 [No. 2]
Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: establish the Registered Organisations Commission and provide it with investigation and information gathering powers to monitor and regulate registered organisations; and provide for the appointment, functions and powers of the commissioner (who will assume the investigations, enforcement advice and assistance responsibilities in relation to registered organisations currently undertaken by the General Manager of the Fair Work Commission); and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: amend the requirements on officers— disclosure of material personal interests and change grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for office; increase financial accounting and disclosure obligations for registered organisations and their officers; and increase civil penalties and introduce criminal offences for serious breaches of officers— duties and new offences in relation to the conduct of investigations.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 15/7/14
CID amendments: 9 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 17/7/14; Negatived at 2nd reading 2/3/15
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 [No. 2]
see also Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013 and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: establish the Registered Organisations Commission and provide it with investigation and information gathering powers to monitor and regulate registered organisations; and provide for the appointment, functions and powers of the commissioner (who will assume the investigations, enforcement advice and assistance responsibilities in relation to registered organisations currently undertaken by the General Manager of the Fair Work Commission); and Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: amend the requirements on officers— disclosure of material personal interests and change grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for office; increase financial accounting and disclosure obligations for registered organisations and their officers; and increase civil penalties and introduce criminal offences for serious breaches of officers— duties and new offences in relation to the conduct of investigations.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/15; Passed 25/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 25/6/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 17/8/15
Reference (SBC report 5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 14/5/15; report tabled 11/8/15
Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2015
see also Paid Parental Leave Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to: provide that parents entitled to receive employer-provided primary carer leave payments (or other like payments) in excess of the total amount of parental leave pay will not receive parental leave pay under the Paid Parental Leave scheme; and remove the requirement for employers to provide paid parental leave to eligible employees, unless an employer chooses to manage the payment to employees and the employees agree for the employer to pay them.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 25/6/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 25/6/15; report tabled 15/9/15
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2014
see also Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill 2014
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to maintain the child care benefit income thresholds at the amounts applicable as at 30 June 2014 for three years from 1 July 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/6/14
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 8/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 26/6/14; report tabled 28/8/14
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2015
Amends: the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to: cease the child care benefit (CCB) and child care rebate; introduce a child care subsidy (CCS) which is subject to both an income and activity test; introduce various rates of additional child care subsidy (ACCS) that are available in certain circumstances; and make amendments in relation to CCS and ACCS claims, reviews of decisions, provider approvals, and compliance obligations of approved providers of child care services; five Acts to make consequential amendments; A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 in relation to goods and services tax treatment of new child care funding programs; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 in relation to: circumstances in which applications for approval of a child care service are taken not to have been made; backdating of CCB service approvals; reassessments of child care service conditions of continued approval; and cessation of enrolment advances.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 17/3/16
S Family Law Amendment (Financial Agreements and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Family Law Act 1975 to: amend the financial agreement regime to remove existing uncertainties around requirements for entering, interpreting and enforcing agreements, make changes to the coverage of spousal maintenance matters in agreements, provide for a statement of principles to outline their binding nature, and to reinforce the binding nature of the agreements; strengthen protections from violence in certain procedural matters; strengthen Australia—s response to international parental child abduction; update the arrest powers of the family court; assist the operation of the family law courts; and make minor and technical amendments.
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 25/11/15
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 24/2/16
Federal Courts Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Federal Courts Legislation Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to provide an arrester with the power to use reasonable force to enter premises to execute an arrest warrant; Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 to: confer jurisdiction on the Federal Circuit Court of Australia (the Court) in relation to tenancy disputes; enable additional jurisdiction in relation to tenancy disputes to which the Commonwealth is a party to be conferred on the Court by delegated legislation; and enable delegated legislation to be made to modify the applicable state and territory law where appropriate, and to clarify the jurisdiction and enforcement of an exercise of that jurisdiction; and Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 and Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 to make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 2/12/14
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 12/2/15
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 9, 2015
PS Flags Amendment Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senators Madigan and Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Flags Act 1953 to require that all Australian flags flown, used or supplied by the Commonwealth are manufactured in Australia from materials manufactured in Australia.
Senate: Intro. 6/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 6/3/14, 26/6/14
Reference (SBC report 3/14): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 20/3/14; report tabled 16/6/14
PS Food Standards Amendment (Fish Labelling) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senators Xenophon, Lambie, Lazarus and Madigan — Ind, Senator Whish-Wilson — AG and Senator Wang — PUP)
Amends the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to require Food Standards Australia New Zealand to develop and approve within 12 months a labelling standard to prescribe how the food services sector must identify the country of origin of fish offered for immediate consumption in Australia.
Senate: Intro. 26/3/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 12/8/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report presented out of sitting 7/5/15
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment Bill 2015
see also Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment (Forum on Food Regulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to: replace references to the former Australia and New Zealand Regulation Ministerial Council with references to the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/15; Discharged from Notice Paper 17/9/15
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment (Forum on Food Regulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015
see also Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to: replace references to the former Australia and New Zealand Regulation Ministerial Council with references to the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation; make changes to the compositional requirements and appointment process for the Board; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendments: 2 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 15/10/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report tabled 30/11/15
PS Foreign Acquisitions Amendment (Agricultural Land) Bill 2010 [2013]
R (Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind and Senator Milne — AG)
Amends the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 to: implement a national interest test to be applied against proposed foreign acquisitions of agricultural land; require any interest in agricultural land greater than five hectares to be notified to the Treasurer; require online publication of information about foreign acquisitions of interest in agricultural land; and impose penalties for not notifying the Treasurer of a proposed acquisition.
Senate: Intro. 24/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/10, 22/9/11, 28/2/13
Reference (SBC report 1/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 10/2/11; report tabled 16/6/11
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 10/12/13
PM Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Amendment (Strategic Assets) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
Amends the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 to prevent foreign persons or entities from acquiring a 10 per cent or greater interest in Australian land, water or other assets that are of strategic economic or strategic defensive importance to Australia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 30/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/15
Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills in relation to Australia—s foreign investment framework, the bill imposes fees in relation to certain applications and actions that are made under the proposed Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Legislation Amendment Act 2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 17/9/15
Senate: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 11/11/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/8/15; extension of time to report 12/10/15; report tabled 14/10/15
Assent: 25/11/15; Act No. 152, 2015
Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills in relation to Australia—s foreign investment framework, the bill amends the: Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 to: provide a statutory basis for the requirements that apply to foreign government investors; enable the transfer to the Australian Taxation Office of responsibility for administering certain aspects of regulating foreign investment, including residential real estate; introduce civil and criminal penalties; enable the lowering of screening thresholds for investments in the agricultural sector; provide for fees to be payable for foreign investment applications; amend the long title of the Act; and make amendments consequential on the Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015; and Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 17/9/15
Senate: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 23/11/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/8/15; extension of time to report 12/10/15; report tabled 14/10/15
Committee amendments: 2 AG/passed; 20 Opp/negatived; 2 Ind (Lazarus, Lambie and Madigan)/negatived; 3 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived; 2 FFP to AG/negatived; 1 section opposed (Opp)/section agreed to
[House agreed to Senate amendments 24/11/15]
Assent: 25/11/15; Act No. 150, 2015
PM Foreign Death Penalty Offences (Preventing Information Disclosure) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Palmer — PUP)
Prevents the disclosure of information by public officials in circumstances that may lead to the imposition of the death penalty in foreign countries.
House of Representatives: Intro. 1/6/15; Removed from Notice Paper 20/10/15
Freedom of Information Amendment (New Arrangements) Bill 2014
Amends the: Freedom of Information Act 1982 to provide for: the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to have sole jurisdiction for external merits review of freedom of information (FOI) decisions; the Attorney-General to be responsible for FOI guidelines, collection of FOI statistics and the annual report on the operation of the Act; and the Ombudsman to have sole responsibility for the investigation of FOI complaints; and Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and Privacy Act 1988 to provide for an Australian Privacy Commissioner as an independent statutory officer holder within the Australian Human Rights Commission. Also: repeals the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 to abolish the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner; and makes consequential amendments to 22 Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/10/14; Passed 28/10/14
CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 30/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 30/10/14
Reference (SBC report 14/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 30/10/14; report tabled 25/11/14
PS Freedom of Information Amendment (Requests and Reasons) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Ludwig — ALP)
Amends the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to require agencies and ministers to publish the exact wording of freedom of information requests and a statement of reasons concerning the decision to allow or refuse the release of requested documents.
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/5/15, 18/6/15, 26/11/15
PS Freedom to Marry Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP)
Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to provide that: people may marry regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity; registered marriage celebrants are not able to discriminate; religious and non-religious private sector celebrants have freedom of conscience not to solemnise marriages; and chaplains in the defence force may exercise a freedom of conscience while maintaining a positive duty to try to ensure that all couples who seek their services are able to marry.
Senate: Intro. 26/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 26/11/14
Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2014
see also Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Fuel Tax Act 2006 to provide that the same indexed rate is used for determining the amount of excise or excise-equivalent customs duty payable on the fuel and the amount of the fuel tax credit; proposed Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Act 2014 to make amendments consequential on the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; and COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, Excise Act 1901 and Energy Grants (Cleaner Fuels) Scheme Regulations 2004 to make other consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 25/6/14
Senate: Intro. 26/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 26/6/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/6/14; report tabled 7/7/14
Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2015
see also Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Bill 2014
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill amends the: Fuel Tax Act 2006 to provide that the road user charge rate determined by the minister is rounded in the same way as fuel duty rates are rounded; COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, proposed Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Act 2015 and Excise Act 1901 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 102, 2015
Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2014
see also Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill establishes the Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account to make grants of financial assistance to the states and territories for expenditure in relation to road infrastructure investment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/6/14; Passed 25/6/14
Senate: Intro. 26/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 26/6/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/6/14; report tabled 7/7/14
Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2015
see also Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account Bill 2014
Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill establishes the Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) special account to make grants of financial assistance to the states and territories for expenditure in relation to road infrastructure investment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 103, 2015
PM Gambling Harm Reduction (Protecting Problem Gamblers and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Provides a framework for the operation of poker machines by: restricting the operation of poker machines; implementing mandatory precommitment capabilities; restricting ATM withdrawals from within poker machine premises; and providing for a regulator, civil penalties, and minimum uniform national standards and national monitoring network.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/11/14; Removed from Notice Paper 2/6/15
Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Gene Technology Act 2000 to: discontinue quarterly reporting to the minister; clarify which dealings may be authorised by inadvertent dealings licences; update advertising requirements for public consultations; remove the requirement that the Gene Technology Regulator maintain a record of genetically modified product approvals made by other agencies; amend licence variation requirements; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
Senate: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 20/8/15
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 25/6/15; report tabled 18/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 121, 2015
Governance of Australian Government Superannuation Schemes Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends: the Governance of Australian Government Superannuation Schemes Act 2011 to enable the merger of ComSuper, the administrator of the Australian Government—s civilian and military defined benefit superannuation schemes, with the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation; seven Acts to make consequential amendments; and the Governance of Australian Government Superannuation Schemes Act 2011 and Superannuation Act 2005 to provide that the cost of administering the Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan will be deducted from member accounts. Also makes transitional arrangements and repeals the ComSuper Act 2011 to reflect the merger.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/15; Passed 1/6/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 15/6/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report presented out of sitting 7/5/15
Committee amendment: 1 Opp/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendment 15/6/15]
Assent: 17/6/15; Act No. 65, 2015
PS Great Barrier Reef Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to prohibit certain developments impacting on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; and Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 to prohibit the dumping of dredged material within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Senate: Intro. 13/2/14; 2nd reading adjourned 13/2/14
PS Guardian for Unaccompanied Children Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
The bill: establishes the Office of the Guardian for Unaccompanied Non-citizen Children; provides for the appointment, functions and powers of the guardian; provides for staff, consultants and reporting requirements; and amends the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 and Migration Act 1958 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 16/7/14; 2nd reading adjourned 16/7/14
Reference (SBC report 10/14): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 28/8/14; interim report presented out of sitting 5/2/15; extension of time for final report 9/2/15; final report tabled 9/2/15
Health and Other Services (Compensation) Care Charges Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the Health and Other Services (Compensation) Care Charges Act 1995 to ensure that Medicare benefits, nursing home benefits or residential care subsidies are recoverable from persons on Norfolk Island who receive compensation or damages through a judgment or settlement.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 54, 2015
PS Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Funding for Certain Types of
R Abortion) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Madigan — Ind)
Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 to provide that Medicare benefits are not payable for medically induced terminations carried out on the basis of gender.
Senate: Intro. 19/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 19/3/13, 27/6/13, 25/9/14
Reference (SBC report 4/13): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 21/3/13; report tabled 27/6/13
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 13/11/13
Health Insurance Amendment (Safety Net) Bill 2015
Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 to introduce a new Medicare safety net on 1 January 2016 to replace the Extended Medicare Safety Net, the Original Medicare Safety Net and the Greatest Permissible Gap.
House of Representatives: Intro. 21/10/15; Passed 25/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 25/11/15
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report tabled 23/11/15
Health Insurance (Approved Pathology Specimen Collection Centres) Tax Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the Health Insurance (Approved Pathology Specimen Collection Centres) Tax Act 2000 to ensure that the tax on the grant of an approval of a specimen collection centre applies to residents.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 50, 2015
Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) Act 1991 to extend to Norfolk Island the requirement for fees to be payable for certain purposes under the Health Insurance Act 1973.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 58, 2015
Health Legislation Amendment (eHealth) Bill 2015
Amends the: Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010, Health Insurance Act 1973, National Health Act 1953 and Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Act 2012 to change the name of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record system to the My Health Record system; Copyright Act 1968, Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010, Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Act 2012 and Privacy Act 1988 to: trial opt-out arrangements in selected regions and enable opt-out to occur nationally if the trials are successful; abolish the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record Jurisdictional Advisory Committee and Independent Advisory Council; revise the way that permissions to collect, use and disclose information are presented; create new civil and criminal penalties and provide that enforceable undertakings and injunctions are available in both the healthcare identifiers service or the My Health Record system; clarify that information about healthcare provider organisations is not personal information; clarify that health-related disability, palliative care and aged care services are considered health services; and clarify mandatory data breach notification requirements for participants in the system; and Health Insurance Act 1973, National Health Act 1953 and Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Act 2012 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 15/10/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 12/11/15
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report tabled 9/11/15
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 157, 2015
PM High Speed Rail Planning Authority Bill 2013
(Introduced by Mr Albanese — ALP)
Establishes the High Speed Rail Planning Authority and provides for its functions, appointment and terms and conditions of appointment of members, staff and consultants, conduct of meetings, and reporting and information requirements. Also enables the minister to make rules prescribing matters.
House of Representatives: Intro. 9/12/13; Removed from Notice Paper 10/2/15
Reference (SC report no. 2): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee 12/12/13
PM High Speed Rail Planning Authority Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Albanese — ALP)
Establishes the High Speed Rail Planning Authority and provides for its functions, appointment and terms and conditions of appointment of members, staff and consultants, conduct of meetings, and reporting and information requirements. Also enables the minister to make rules prescribing matters.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/10/15
Federation Chamber: 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/15
Higher Education and Research Reform Bill 2014
see also Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014, Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015, Higher Education Support Amendment (New Zealand Citizens) Bill 2015 and Labor 2013-14 Budget Savings (Measures No. 2) Bill 2015
Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: provide demand-driven funding to diploma, advanced diploma and associate degree courses and extend government subsidies to bachelor and sub-bachelor courses at private universities and non-university higher education providers; remove the maximum student contribution amounts; remove the maximum student contribution amounts that providers can charge students in Commonwealth supported places; merge the FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP loan schemes, including the removal of the FEE-HELP loan fee and lifetime limits, HECS-HELP upfront discount and HELP voluntary repayment bonus; establish a Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme to support disadvantaged students; maintain the consumer price index (CPI) indexation rate as the HELP indexation rate; provide for HECS indexation relief for primary carers of children up to five years of age; lower the minimum repayment threshold for HELP debts; enable providers to charge Research Training Scheme students capped tuition fees; remove the lifetime limits on VET FEE-HELP loans and the VET FEE-HELP loan fee; replace the Higher Education Grants Index with the CPI; update the name of the University of Ballarat to Federation University Australia; and enable certain New Zealand citizens to be eligible for HELP assistance; Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to provide that the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency may determine when fees may be refunded, and disclose certain information; Higher Education Support Act 2003 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to discontinue the HECS-HELP benefit; Australian National University Act 1991, Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to make consequential amendments; and Australian Research Council Act 2001 to enable additional investment in research through the Future Fellowships Scheme, apply indexation, apply a one-off efficiency dividend, and add an additional forward estimate amount. Also amends the Commonwealth Grants Scheme Guidelines 2012, Other Grants Guidelines (Education) 2012 and Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2012; and repeals the Higher Education (Designated Courses of Study) Specification 2011 and a determination made under subsection 169-20(1) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 [FRLI No. F2007B01092].
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 25/2/15
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 17/3/15
Reference (SBC report 1/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 12/2/15; report presented out of sitting 13/3/15
Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015
see also Higher Education Support Amendment (Savings and Other Measures) Bill 2013 and Higher Education Support Amendment (New Zealand Citizens) Bill 2015
Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: enable certain New Zealand citizens who are Special Category Visa holders to be eligible for HELP assistance from 1 January 2016; enable Torrens University Australia to be eligible for equivalent funding support as all other private Australian universities; update the name of the University of Ballarat to Federation University Australia; and confirm the relevant heads of constitutional power for other grants; Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to remove the requirement for the commissioners to prepare annual operational plans; and Australian Research Council Act 2001 to: apply indexation adjustments for existing schemes for the financial years starting 1 July 2015 and 2016; set additional funding caps for the financial years starting 1 July 2017 and 2018; and remove the requirement for the Australian Research Council to prepare corporate plans.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/15; Passed 23/11/15
Senate: Intro. 24/11/15; Passed 24/11/15
Committee amendments: 1 AG/negatived; 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to
Assent: 30/11/15; Act No. 160, 2015
PS Higher Education Support Amendment (New Zealand Citizens) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Carr — ALP)
see also Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to enable certain New Zealand citizens who are Special Category Visa holders to be eligible for HELP assistance from 1 January 2016.
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 24/6/15, 17/9/15
Higher Education Support Amendment (Savings and Other Measures) Bill 2013
see also Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014, Higher Education and Research Reform Bill 2014, Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015 and Labor 2013-14 Budget Savings (Measures No. 2) Bill 2015
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: remove the HECS-HELP up-front payment discount for units of study with a census date on or after 1 January 2014; remove the HELP voluntary repayment bonus for repayments made on or after 1 January 2014; apply an efficiency dividend of 2 per cent in 2014 and 1.25 per cent in 2015 to Commonwealth contribution amounts under the Commonwealth Grant Scheme; and reflect the name change of the University of Ballarat to the Federation University Australia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 21/11/13; Passed 3/12/13
Senate: Intro. 4/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 4/12/13
Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: require VET FEE-HELP approved training providers to develop and apply appropriate student entry procedure requirements; require students under the age of 18 to seek their parent—s approval before requesting a VET FEE-HELP loan; broaden the circumstances in which a student can seek a re-credit of their VET FEE-HELP loan debt balance and remission of a debt; add to the eligibility criteria required for admitting new VET providers to the VET-FEE-HELP loan scheme; provide for an infringement notice scheme with a civil penalty regime for VET providers who engage in inappropriate marketing behaviours and administrative practices; extend the Commonwealth and national VET Regulator—s powers with respect to monitoring and investigation; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 11/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendments: 11 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 3/12/15
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report tabled 30/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/passed
Committee amendments: 24 Govt (2 as amended by 2 Ind (Lazurus)-AMEP)/agreed to; 1 Opp/negatived
Committee request for amendment: 1 Govt/passed
[House made Senate request for an amendment 2/12/15; House agreed to Senate amendments 3/12/15]
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 168, 2015
Import Processing Charges Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills to implement certain recommendations from the Joint Review of Border Fees, Charges and Taxes, the bill amends the Import Processing Charges Act 2001 to: increase the import processing charges imposed on import and warehouse declarations; remove the price differential between charges for sea cargo, air cargo and postal import declarations and warehouse declarations; and introduce a consistent price differential between electronically and manually lodged import declarations.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 148, 2015
Imported Food Charges (Collection) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage imported food, the bill provides for the collection of imported food charges by: providing that regulations prescribe when imported food charges are due and payable; making the Commonwealth notionally liable to pay fees, including late payment fees; requiring a late payment fee to be paid when a charge is not paid on time; empowering the secretary to take certain action when a charge or late payment fee is not paid; and providing for the administration of the charges.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 96, 2015
Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Customs) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage imported food, the bill imposes an imported food charge, to the extent that it is a duty of customs.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 97, 2015
Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Excise) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage imported food, the bill imposes an imported food charge, to the extent that it is a duty of excise.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 98, 2015
Imported Food Charges (Imposition—General) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to manage imported food, the bill imposes an imported food charge, to the extent that it is neither a duty of customs nor a duty of excise.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Assent: 29/6/15; Act No. 99, 2015
PM Imported Food Warning Labels Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
The bill: requires all imported food and produce to carry a prominently displayed warning label advising consumers that the food has not been grown or processed under Australian health and hygiene standards and may be injurious to human health; and creates offences and imposes penalties.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/3/15; Removed from Notice Paper 18/8/15
Income Tax (Attribution Managed Investment Trusts—Offsets) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to establish a new tax system for certain managed investment trusts, the bill imposes tax on trustees of an attribution management investment trust in relation to amounts of a character relating to tax offsets in certain circumstances.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Income Tax Rates Amendment (Managed Investment Trusts) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to establish a new tax system for certain managed investment trusts, the bill amends the Income Tax Rates Act 1986 to specify the rate of tax payable by trustees of attribution management investment trusts in certain circumstances.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
PS Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (Improved Oversight and Resourcing) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Wright — AG)
Amends the: Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 to: enable the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor to review proposed counter-terrorism and national security legislation; require the monitor to consider whether counter-terrorism and national security legislation is a proportionate response to the national security threat faced; enable Legal and Constitutional Affairs Senate committees and the Human Rights Commission to refer matters to the monitor for inquiry; require all reports of the monitor to be tabled and the government to respond to any recommendations within six months; ensure that the position of monitor is a full time position; establish the Office of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor as a statutory agency and a listed entity; and provide for staff; and Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 to provide that it is a function of the Human Rights Commission to refer matters to the monitor for inquiry.
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/14
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 4/12/14; extension of time to report 3/3/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Cost Benefit Analysis and Other Measures) Bill 2014
Amends the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 to: clarify the definition of —proposal—; include the requirement that Infrastructure Australia undertake evaluations of infrastructure proposals that involve Commonwealth funding of at least $100 million and provide for indexation of this amount; move incorrectly placed provisions in relation to cost benefit analyses of proposals; and provide that a proposal must not be included in an Infrastructure Priority List unless a cost benefit analysis has been prepared in accordance with the approved method.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/9/14; Passed 24/9/14
CID amendments: 8 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/9/14
Reference (SBC report 12/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 25/9/14; report tabled 26/11/14
Insolvency Law Reform Bill 2015
Amends: the Bankruptcy Act 1966 and Corporations Act 2001 to: align the registration and disciplinary frameworks that apply to registered liquidators and registered trustees (through the rules made by the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) and Insolvency Practice Schedule (Corporations)); and align a range of specific rules relating to the handling of personal bankruptcies and corporate external administrations; 25 Acts to make consequential amendments; the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to provide the Australian Securities and Investments Commission with further powers to assist in the oversight of the regulation of registered liquidators; the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to: payments for property; use of a company—s former name; termination of a deed of company arrangement; relation-back day; and the lodgement of documents with ASIC which require a notice to be in the prescribed form; and the Corporations Act 2001 and Private Health Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2015 in relation to notifications of contraventions of deeds of company arrangement.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the: Patents Act 1990 to: implement the Protocol amending the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property to enable Australian pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply developing countries with generic versions of patented medicines; and make technical amendments; Plant Breeder—s Rights Act 1994 to enable the owners of plant breeder—s rights in a plant variety with the option to take action in the Federal Circuit Court against alleged infringers; Designs Act 2003, Patents Act 1990, Plant Breeder—s Rights Act 1994 and Trade Marks Act 1995 to provide for a single trans-Tasman patent attorney regime and single patent application and examination processes for Australia and New Zealand; and Designs Act 2003, Patents Act 1990 and Trade Marks Act 1995 to remove document retention requirements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; Passed 24/11/14
CID amendments: 2 AG/negatived
Senate: Intro. 25/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 8, 2015
PS Interactive Gambling Amendment (Sports Betting Reform) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the: Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to: require gambling services to provide prescribed training to certain employees; enable the Federal Circuit Court of Australia to grant injunctions for the purposes of transaction blocking; place restrictions on the conduct of restricted wagering services in relation to sports betting and provide for offences and civil penalties if they are contravened; place restrictions on the broadcasting of restricted wagering service advertisements and provide for offences and civil penalties if they are contravened; provide for the compliance and enforcement of the new offences and civil penalty provisions; require the Interactive Gambling Regulator to keep a register of individuals who wish to self-exclude from restricted wagering services and provide for the administration of, and the protection of information in, the register; and provide for the appointment of the Interactive Gambling Regulator and the functions of the position; and Privacy Act 1988 to provide that Australian Privacy Principle 7 (direct marketing) does not apply to the extent that restricted wagering services provisions of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 apply.
Senate: Intro. 24/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/15
Reference (SBC report 15/15): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 26/11/15; report due 12/5/16
PS Interactive Gambling and Broadcasting Amendment (Online Transactions and
R Other Measures) Bill 2011 [2013]
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Prohibits corporations from offering certain gambling services and amends the: Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to: provide that customers may request a financial transaction provider to suspend or cancel an interactive gambling payment; and prohibit inducements to gamble; Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to require the Australian Communications and Media Authority to enforce certain conditions in relation to the advertising of betting venues, online gambling sites and betting odds by commercial broadcasters; and Criminal Code Act 1995 to create an offence and impose a penalty for match-fixing.
Senate: Intro. 20/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 20/6/11
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 10/12/13
House of Representatives:
Reference (see item 31, Votes and Proceedings 29/9/10): Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform 20/6/11; report presented to Senate out of sitting 8/12/11 and tabled 7/2/12; report tabled in House 13/2/12
PS International Aid (Promoting Gender Equality) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Requires: any use of official development or humanitarian assistance to have regard to reducing gender inequality; and the minister to present an annual report setting out how the Commonwealth used international aid to promote general equality in recipient countries.
Senate: Intro. 5/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 5/3/15
References:
SBC report 4/15: Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report presented out of sitting 2/4/15
Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 12/5/15; extensions of time to report 15/6/15, 25/6/15; report tabled 17/9/15
PM Iron Ore Supply and Demand (Commission of Inquiry) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
The bill: establishes a full judicial commission of inquiry into iron ore supply and demand, specifically the increases in production by certain iron ore producing companies, and provides for its functions, powers and operations; creates offences; and requires the commission to submit its report to the Presiding Officers within three months for tabling in both chambers.
House of Representatives: Intro. 1/6/15; Removed from Notice Paper 20/10/15
S Judiciary Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Judiciary Act 1903 to: consolidate the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) into the Attorney-General—s Department (AGD); and remove provisions relating to AGS—s former role as a statutory corporation; and Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983 and Freedom of Information Act 1982 to make consequential amendments. Also makes transitional arrangements in relation to AGS being consolidated into the AGD.
Senate: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 14/5/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/5/15; Passed 28/5/15
Assent: 16/6/15; Act No. 64, 2015
Labor 2013-14 Budget Savings (Measures No. 1) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Labor 2013-14 Budget Savings (Measures No. 1) Act 2015)
Amends the: Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates Amendments) Act 2011 to maintain the tax-free threshold and second personal marginal tax rate; and Clean Energy (Tax Laws Amendments) Act 2011 to maintain the maximum value, withdrawal rate and threshold rate for the low-income tax offset.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/7/14; Passed 15/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/withdrawn
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 72, 2015
Labor 2013-14 Budget Savings (Measures No. 2) Bill 2015
see also Higher Education Support Amendment (Savings and Other Measures) Bill 2013 and Higher Education and Research Reform Bill 2014
Amends: nine Acts to replace the student start-up scholarship with an income-contingent student start-up loan; and the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: remove the HECS-HELP up-front payment discount for units of study with a census date after 1 January 2017; and remove the HELP voluntary repayment bonus for repayments from 1 January 2017.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/11/15; Passed 1/12/15
CID amendments: 23 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 2/12/15; Passed 3/12/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 169, 2015
PS Landholders— Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Waters — AG)
The bill: provides that Australian landholders have the right to refuse the undertaking of gas and coal mining activities by corporations on their land without prior written authorisation; sets out the requirements of a prior written authorisation; provides for relief which a court may grant a land owner when prior written authorisation is not provided; prohibits hydraulic fracturing for coal seam gas, shale gas and tight gas by corporations; and provides for civil penalties.
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; 2nd reading adjourned 4/3/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 5/3/15; extensions of time to report 24/6/15, 10/8/15; report presented out of sitting 30/9/15
Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Powers) Bill 2015
Amends the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 and Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 to: clarify the powers of Australian Crime Commission examiners to conduct examinations, and the Integrity Commissioner, supported by the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, to conduct hearings; and authorise the use of derivative material obtained from an examination or hearing, and specify the circumstances in which examination, hearing and derivative material may be provided to a prosecutor.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 28/5/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (SBC report 5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 14/5/15; report tabled 18/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 109, 2015
Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Amendment Bill 2015
Implements amendments to the Protocol of 1996 to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims by amending the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Act 1989 to increase the liability limits for ship owners and salvors for maritime claims relating to ship-sourced damage.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 19/3/15
Senate: Intro. 19/3/15; Passed 11/5/15
Assent: 20/5/15; Act No. 44, 2015
PS Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
Amends the Export Control Act 1982 to prohibit the export of live-stock for slaughter.
Senate: Intro. 27/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/3/14
Maritime Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Navigation Act 2012 to: ensure that the definition of —dangerous goods— includes goods which are characterised in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code; and correct minor drafting errors; Protection of the Sea (Civil Liability) Act 1981 and Protection of the Sea (Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage) Act 2008 to enable regulatory action to be taken against non-compliant vessel operators; and Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983 to prevent heavy grade oil being carried as ballast in Antarctic waters.
House of Representatives: Intro. 9/9/15; Passed 25/11/15
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; Passed 26/11/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 176, 2015
Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Amendment (Inter-State Voyages) Bill 2015
Amends the Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003 to provide that Australian ships that are used solely for inter-state voyages will no longer be regulated under the Act.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/8/15; Passed 25/11/15
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 25/11/15
PM Marriage Amendment (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Shorten — ALP)
Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: define marriage as a union of two people; clarify that ministers of religion are not bound to solemnise marriage by any other law; remove the prohibition of the recognition of same sex marriages solemnised in a foreign country; and include a regulation making power so that consequential amendments can be made to other Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 1/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 1/6/15, 15/6/15
Federation Chamber: 2nd reading adjourned 22/6/15, 12/8/15, 17/8/15
PS Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: define marriage as a union of two people; clarify that ministers of religion are not bound to solemnise marriage by any other law; remove the prohibition of the recognition of same sex marriages solemnised in a foreign country; and include a regulation making power so that consequential amendments can be made to other Acts.
Senate: Intro. 12/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 12/12/13, 12/11/15
PS Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Rice — AG, Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP, Senator Muir — AMEP and Senators Lambie, Lazarus and Xenophon — Ind)
Provides for a national plebiscite to be conducted at the next general election on the question of whether two people should be able to marry, regardless of gender.
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; 2nd reading adjourned 19/8/15
PM Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Entsch and Ms Gambaro — LP, Ms Butler and Mr Ferguson — ALP, Mr Bandt — AG and Ms McGowan and Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the: Marriage Act 1961 to: define marriage as a union of two people; clarify that ministers of religion or chaplains are not bound to solemnise marriage by any other law; and remove the prohibition of the recognition of same sex marriages solemnised in a foreign country; and Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to make a consequential amendment. Also includes a regulation making power so that consequential amendments can be made to other Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/8/15; 2nd reading adjourned 17/8/15
Federation Chamber: 2nd reading adjourned 7/9/15, 14/9/15, 12/10/15, 19/10/15, 9/11/15, 23/11/15
Medical Research Future Fund Bill 2015
Introduced with the Medical Research Future Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2015 to establish the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to support medical research and medical innovation from 1 August 2015, the bill provides for: initial funding of $1 billion from the uncommitted balance of the Health and Hospitals Fund; the establishment of the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board to develop the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy and the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities; and the MRFF to be managed by the Future Fund Board of Guardians.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendments: 22 Govt/passed; 23 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 10/8/15; Passed 12/8/15
Reference (SBC report 6/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 16/6/15; report tabled 10/8/15
Committee amendments: 20 Govt/passed; 16 Opp/negatived; 1 Ind (Lazarus)/negatived; 2 clauses opposed (Opp)/clauses agreed to
[House agreed to Senate amendments nos 2 to 20, disagreed to Senate amendment no. 1 and agreed to an identical Govt amendment 13/8/15; Senate agreed to House amendment 13/8/15]
Assent: 26/8/15; Act No. 116, 2015
Medical Research Future Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Medical Research Future Fund Bill 2015 to establish the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to support medical research and medical innovation from 1 August 2015, the bill amends: the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 to enable grants to the states and territories through the COAG Reform Fund; the DisabilityCare Australia Fund Act 2013, Future Fund Act 2006 and Nation-building Funds Act 2008 to allow for amounts to be transferred between the MRFF and the Future Fund to allow for proper apportioning of common expenses incurred by the Future Fund Board in managing the MRFF, the Future Fund, the Nation-building Funds and the DisabilityCare Australia Fund Special Account; the Future Fund Act 2006 to extend the Future Fund Board—s duties to manage the MRFF; the Nation-building Funds Act 2008 to abolish the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF); five Acts to make amendments consequential on the abolition of the HHF; and the proposed Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 to make amendments consequential on the Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Act 2015.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 22/6/15
CID amendment: 1 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 10/8/15; Passed 12/8/15
Reference (SBC report 6/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 16/6/15; report tabled 10/8/15
Committee amendment: 1 Govt/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendment 13/8/15]
Assent: 26/8/15; Act No. 117, 2015
Medicare Levy Amendment (Attribution Managed Investment Trusts) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to establish a new tax system for certain managed investment trusts, the bill amends the Medicare Levy Act 1986 to impose the two per cent Medicare levy on trustees of attribution management investment trusts in certain circumstances.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Migration Amendment (Charging for a Migration Outcome) Bill 2015
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: establish a criminal and civil penalty regime to make it unlawful for a person to give or receive a benefit in return for a migration outcome in relation to certain skilled work visa programs; and enable visa cancellation to be considered where the visa holder has engaged in such conduct.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 10/11/15
Senate: Intro. 11/11/15; Passed 25/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report tabled 10/11/15; corrigendum tabled 24/11/15
Committee amendments: 55 Opp/negatived; 1 item opposed (Opp)/item agreed to
Assent: 30/11/15; Act No. 161, 2015
Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: amend the statutory framework in relation to the determination process for persons seeking protection on complementary protection grounds; and make technical amendments in relation to protection visas.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 14/10/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report due 18/2/16
PS Migration Amendment (Humanitarian Visa Intake) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: prevent the preclusion of processing or granting a visa at any time in a financial year when fewer than 20 000 humanitarian visas have been granted; and require the minister to present to Parliament quarterly reports setting out the number of each class of humanitarian visas granted during the previous quarter.
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/9/14
Migration Amendment (Maintaining the Good Order of Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2015
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: provide a framework for the use of reasonable force in specified circumstances by authorised officers within immigration detention facilities; and establish a complaints mechanism relating to the exercise of power to use reasonable force.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
CID amendments: 11 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/5/15, 19/8/15, 20/8/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 5/3/15; extension of time to report 12/5/15; report presented out of sitting 5/6/15
PM Migration Amendment (Mandatory Reporting) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Marles — ALP)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to require the reporting of child abuse in onshore and offshore immigration detention facilities.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/10/15
Federation Chamber: 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/15
Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Repeal Bill 2014
Repeals the Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Act 2013 to remove the requirement for foreign workers to hold a visa when they participate in, or support, offshore resource activities taken to be in the migration zone.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/3/14; Passed 26/5/14
Senate: Intro. 16/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 16/6/14
Reference (SBC report 4/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 27/3/14; report presented out of sitting 6/6/14 and tabled 16/6/14
PS Migration Amendment (Protecting Babies Born in Australia) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to provide that a person will have been deemed not to have entered Australia by sea if they entered the migration zone and landed in an aircraft or if the person was born in the migration zone.
Senate: Intro. 18/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 18/6/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 19/6/14; extension of time to report 28/10/14; report tabled 10/2/15
Migration Amendment (Protection and Other Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Migration Amendment (Protection and Other Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: clarify the responsibilities of asylum seekers to provide and substantiate claims in relation to protection visas; enable the Refugee Review Tribunal to draw an unfavourable inference about the credibility of claims or evidence raised by a protection visa applicant for the first time at the review stage; create grounds to refuse a protection visa application when an applicant refuses or fails to establish their identity, nationality or citizenship; provide that a protection visa will not be granted to a family applicant unless the visa was applied for before the family visa holder was granted their visa; define the risk threshold for assessing Australia—s non-refoulement obligations under certain treaties; amend the framework in relation to unauthorised maritime arrivals and transitory persons who can make a valid application for a visa; provide for changes to the processes and administration of the Migration Review Tribunal and the Refugee Review Tribunal; and clarify when a review of a decision in relation to an application is —finally determined—.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/14; Passed 22/9/14
CID amendments: 4 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; Passed 25/3/15
Reference (SBC report 8/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 26/6/14; report tabled 22/9/14
Committee amendments: 12 Govt/passed; 1 Opp/passed; 1 Schedule negatived (Opp); 8 AG/negatived; 1 Part opposed (AG)/Part agreed to; 11 items opposed (AG)/items agreed to; 2 sections opposed (AG)/sections agreed to
[House agreed to Senate amendments 25/3/15]
Assent: 13/4/15; Act No. 35, 2015
Migration Amendment (Regaining Control Over Australia—s Protection Obligations) Bill 2013
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: remove the criterion for the grant of a protection visa on the basis of complementary protection grounds; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/12/13; Passed 11/12/13
Senate: Intro. 11/12/13; Discharged from Notice Paper 15/10/15
Reference (SBC report 10/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 5/12/13; extension of time to report 3/3/14; report tabled 18/3/14
Migration Amendment (Regional Processing Arrangements) Bill 2015
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to provide statutory authority for the Commonwealth to provide assistance to other countries to effect arrangements for the processing and management of unauthorised maritime arrivals who have been taken to regional processing countries, including the expenditure of Commonwealth money on these arrangements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Senate: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG (as amended)/passed
Committee amendments: 8 AG/negatived; 1 LDP/negatived
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 104, 2015
Migration Amendment (Strengthening Biometrics Integrity) Bill 2015
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: provide a single broad discretionary power to collect one or more personal identifiers from non-citizens and citizens at the border; enable flexibility on the types of personal identifiers that may be required, the circumstances in which they may be collected, and the places where they may be collected; enable personal identifiers to be provided by an identification test or by another way specified by the minister or an officer; enable personal identifiers to be required either orally, in writing, or through an automated system; enable personal identifiers to be collected from minors and incapable persons without the need to obtain consent, or require the presence of a parent, guardian or independent person during the collection; and remove redundant provisions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/3/15; Passed 13/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 12/8/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 5/3/15; extension of time to report 12/5/15; report presented out of sitting 5/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/withdrawn
Committee amendments: 1 Govt/passed; 4 Opp/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendment 13/8/15]
Assent: 26/8/15; Act No. 115, 2015
PS Migration Amendment (Visa Maximum Numbers Determinations) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to provide that determinations made under section 85 (which determine the number of visas that can be granted in a particular subclass in any specified financial year) on or after 2 December 2013 be subject to disallowance by either House of the Parliament.
Senate: Intro. 9/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 9/12/13, 12/12/13
Migration and Maritime Powers Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015
Amends the: Migration Act 1958 to: provide that when an unlawful non-citizen is in the process of being removed to another country and before they enter that country the person is returned to Australia, then that person has a lawful basis to return to Australia without a visa; ensure that when that person is returned to Australia, bars on the person making a valid visa application for certain visas will continue to apply as if they had never left Australia; make technical and consequential amendments arising out of the enactment of the Migration Amendment (Character and General Visa Cancellation) Act 2014; clarify that a person who has previously been refused a protection visa application that was made on their behalf cannot make a further protection visa application; ensure that fast track applicants can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of certain decisions; correct a referencing error in relation to maritime crew visas; and ensure that visa ceasing provisions operate as intended; and Maritime Powers Act 2013 to clarify that powers are able to be exercised in the course of passage through or above waters of another country in a manner consistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 10/11/15
Senate: Intro. 11/11/15; Passed 23/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report tabled 10/11/15
Committee amendments: 4 AG (1 as amended by 2 Opp)/passed; 1 AG/negatived
[House reported Senate message returning bill with amendments 23/11/15]
Migration Legislation Amendment (Cessation of Visa Labels) Bill 2015
The bill: repeals the Migration (Visa Evidence) Charge Act 2012; and amends the Migration Act 1958 to: remove inoperative provisions relating to the issuing of visa labels; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: 11/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 11/11/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report due 25/2/16
PS Mining Subsidies Legislation Amendment (Raising Revenue) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
Amends the Fuel Tax Act 2006 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to abolish fossil fuel subsidies for the mining industry from 1 January 2015, including: the diesel fuel rebate; accelerated asset depreciation for aircraft, the oil and gas industry and vehicles; and immediate deductibility for exploration and prospecting expenses.
Senate: Intro. 27/8/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/8/14, 26/11/15
PS Motor Vehicle Standards (Cheaper Transport) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
The bill: sets carbon emissions standards that certain manufacturers, importers or sellers of passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles are required to meet as the average across its fleet; and provides for charges on sellers whose fleet averages exceed the vehicle carbon emissions standard.
Senate: Intro. 10/7/14; 2nd reading adjourned 10/7/14
Reference (SBC 10/15): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 20/8/15; interim report presented out of sitting 23/10/15; extension of time for final report 9/11/15; final report tabled 25/11/15
PS National Broadband Network Companies Amendment (Tasmania) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Urquhart — ALP)
Amends the National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011 to require that NBN Co only provides fixed connections to the national broadband network in Tasmania by use of optical fibre to no fewer than 200 000 premises.
Senate: Intro. 5/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 5/3/14
Reference (SBC report 4/14): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 27/3/14; extension of time to report 24/6/14; report tabled 16/7/14
National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2014
Amends the National Health Act 1953 in relation to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme by: increasing the concessional patient co-payment by 80 cents from 1 January 2015; increasing the general patient co-payment by $5.00 from 1 January 2015; increasing the concessional safety net threshold by two prescriptions each year for four years, from 2015 to 2018; and increasing the general patient safety net threshold by 10 per cent each year for four years, from 2015 to 2018.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/6/14; Passed 16/7/14
Senate: Intro. 17/7/14; 2nd reading adjourned 17/7/14
Reference (SBC report 7/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 19/6/14; extension of time to report 26/8/14; report tabled 27/8/14
National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2015
Amends the National Health Act 1953 to implement the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Access and Sustainability package by: applying a one-off five per cent statutory price reduction for single brand medicines; changing price disclosure arrangements for multiple-brand medicines; applying flow-on price disclosure reductions from component drugs to multiple-brand combination medicines; changing membership arrangements for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee; enabling approved pharmacists to discount patient co-payments by a maximum of $1 for each PBS supply on a prescription; extending safety net early supply rules; and extending the sunset provisions for pharmacy location rules and the Australian Community Pharmacy Authority to 30 June 2020. Also makes technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Reference (SBC report 6/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 16/6/15; report tabled 23/6/15
Committee amendments: 3 LDP/negatived
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 89, 2015
PS National Integrity Commission Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Milne — AG)
Establishes a National Integrity Commission as an independent statutory agency which will consist of the National Integrity Commissioner, the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner and the Independent Parliamentary Advisor and provide for: the investigation and prevention of misconduct and corruption in all Commonwealth departments, agencies, and federal parliamentarians and their staff; the investigation and prevention of corruption in the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crime Commission; and independent advice to ministers and parliamentarians on conduct, ethics and matters of propriety. Also: provides for the establishment of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Integrity Commission; and makes consequential amendments to the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006, Ombudsman Act 1976, Privacy Act 1988 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013.
Senate: Intro. 13/11/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/11/13, 15/5/14, 13/8/15
National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 to: insert or clarify definitions for ministerial council, registered training organisation, registration code, quality standards and vocational education and training (VET) information; extend the operation of penalty provisions to trading corporations; prohibit a person from advertising or offering VET courses without including the name and registration code of the responsible registered training organisation; extend to 7 years the period of registration able to be granted by the National VET Regulator (NVR); provide that the minister may make quality standards; provide that it is a condition of registration that an NVR registered training organisation must satisfy the quality standards; specify to whom, and for what purpose, the regulator may disclose VET information; streamline the processes required for the issuing of a written direction by the regulator; and clarify that a person employed in a court of a state or territory may issue a search warrant if authorised to do so.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/2/15; Passed 5/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
CID amendments: 2 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 5/3/15; Passed 16/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 32, 2015
S National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill 2015
(Previous title: National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill 2014)
The bill: repeals the National Water Commission Act 2004 to abolish the National Water Commission (NWC); amends the Water Act 2007 to transfer certain functions of the NWC to the Productivity Commission; and provides for transitional arrangements.
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 12/14): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 25/9/14; report tabled 24/11/14
Committee amendments: 8 Govt/passed
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/5/15; Passed 26/5/15
Assent: 16/6/15; Act No. 63, 2015
PS Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Siewert — AG)
Amends the Native Title Act 1993 in relation to: the right to negotiate to apply to offshore areas; good faith negotiations; enabling extinguishment to be disregarded; reversal of the burden of proof; the definition of —traditional—; and commercial rights and interests.
Senate: Intro. 4/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 4/3/14
Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the: Norfolk Island Act 1979 and 28 Acts to provide interim measures to implement the reform, including abolishing the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly and Executive Council, and establishing an Advisory Council as an interim consultative body; Norfolk Island Act 1979 and 115 Acts to provide for final governance arrangements, including: the application of New South Wales (NSW) state law to Norfolk Island as Commonwealth law and to allow the Commonwealth to enter into arrangements with the NSW Government for the delivery of state level services; and extending certain mainland social security, immigration and health arrangements to Norfolk Island; and Census and Statistics Act 1905 to align the power to collect statistics in the external territories with the power to collect statistics in the rest of Australia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 59, 2015
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015, the bill amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to: automatically grant or extend the coverage of offshore petroleum titles over blocks moving from state or Northern Territory coastal waters into Commonwealth jurisdiction as a result of a change to the boundary; provide arrangements for the granting of renewals of Commonwealth titles over blocks remaining in Commonwealth waters, where part of that title has moved into state or Northern Territory coastal waters as a result of a change to the boundary; separate the requirements for conferral of petroleum and greenhouse gas functions on the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA); enable the recovery of costs for regulatory operations undertaken by NOPSEMA in waters landward of the territorial sea baseline; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 3/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 19/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 33, 2015
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Designated Coastal Waters) Bill 2014, the bill amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to: expand the definition of —designated coastal waters— to include all waters of the sea landward of the Commonwealth offshore area; and permit registered multiple petroleum titleholders to take eligible voluntary actions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 3/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 5/3/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 15, 2015
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Designated Coastal Waters) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Designated Coastal Waters) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2014, the bill makes consequential amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Act 2003 to confine the operation of the levy regime to the area constituted by the existing definition of designated coastal waters.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 3/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 5/3/15
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 16, 2015
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015, the bill amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Act 2003 to: enable the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator to collect an annual titles administration levy in relation to boundary-change petroleum exploration permits; and replace references to —OHS inspectors— with —NOPSEMA inspectors—.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 3/3/15
Senate: Intro. 4/3/15; Passed 19/3/15
Assent: 2/4/15; Act No. 34, 2015
Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015
Amends: five Acts in the Agriculture portfolio to: abolish the Australian Landcare Council; and make amendments consequential on seven Acts being repealed; two Acts in the Environment portfolio to: abolish the Natural Heritage Trust Advisory Committee and the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee; and remove spent provisions; the Health and Other Services (Compensation) Act 1995 to remove certain administrative requirements for compensation payers and claimants; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Reserves and Committee Self-management) Act 1978 to make amendments consequential on two Acts being repealed; the A New Tax System (Family Assistance)(Administration) Act 1999, Paid Parental Leave Act 2010, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Student Assistance Act 1973 to enable the release of information collected under the Acts in an aggregated form which does not disclose information about a particular person; the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and Social Security Act 1991 to: remove spent indexation provisions; and make consequential amendments; the Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to remove spent provisions relating to the Retirement Assistance for Farmers Scheme and the Retirement Assistance for Sugarcane Farmers Scheme; the Social Security Act 1991 to: remove spent savings, transitional and application provisions; and make technical amendments; three Acts in the Treasury portfolio to remove spent provisions; and the Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to remove spent provisions relating to the Retirement Assistance for Farmers Scheme and the Retirement Assistance for Sugarcane Farmers Scheme. Also repeals 14 Acts administered in three portfolios.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 12/10/15
Senate: Intro. 12/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/10/15
Reference (SBC report 3/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 19/3/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2014) Bill 2014
see also Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2015) Bill 2015
Amends: four Acts in the Agriculture portfolio to abolish the Fishing Industry Policy Council, and remove obsolete provisions; four Acts in the Communications portfolio in relation to re-transmission of programs, and consultation and publication requirements; four Acts in the Environment portfolio in relation to the abolition of the Product Stewardship Advisory Group and the Oil Stewardship Advisory Council, fuel quality standards, and hazardous waste; the Social Security Act 1991 to make an amendment consequential on a repeal; three Acts administered in the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio to make minor amendments and remove certain provisions; eight Acts administered in the Social Services portfolio in relation to approved provider obligations, use or disclosure of personal information, and removal of spent social security and family assistance payments; seven Acts in the Treasury portfolio to make amendments consequential on repeals; the Insurance Act 1973 to remove a redundant standing appropriation; and five Acts in the Veterans— Affairs portfolio to remove spent veterans— affairs and military rehabilitation and compensation payments. Also repeals seven Acts administered in four portfolios.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 29/10/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 30/10/14; Passed 2/12/14
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/passed
Committee amendments: 1 Opp/passed; 3 AG/passed; 2 Parts negatived (AG); 25 items negatived (AG)
[House disagreed to Senate amendments 25/3/15; Senate insisted on its amendments nos 1 to 6, did not insist on its amendment no. 7 and agreed to 1 Opp amendment in place of amendment no. 7, 19/8/15; House reported message from Senate 19/8/15]
Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2015) Bill 2015
see also Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2014) Bill 2014
Amends: four Acts in the Agriculture and Water Resources portfolio to abolish the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) Advisory Board and the Fishing Industry Policy Council, limit the information that the APVMA is required to provide to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, and remove obsolete provisions; four Acts in the Communications and the Arts portfolio in relation to re-transmission of programs, and consultation and publication requirements; the Social Security Act 1991 to make an amendment consequential on a repeal; two Acts in the Environment portfolio to make technical amendments and clarify regulatory arrangements; four Acts in the Health portfolio to abolish the Medical Training Review Panel, remove requirements for redundant reviews of Medicare provider number legislation, simplify approved provider obligations in areas of aged care, and make consequential amendments; 20 Acts in the Infrastructure and Regional Development portfolio and the A.C.T. Self-Government (Consequential Provisions) Regulations to make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Australian Capital Territory as a self-governing territory; the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 to make amendments consequential on a repeal; three Acts in the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio to make minor amendments and remove certain provisions; seven Acts in the Social Services portfolio in relation to use or disclosure of personal information and removal of spent social security and family assistance payments; seven Acts in the Treasury portfolio to make amendments consequential on repeals; the Insurance Act 1973 to remove a redundant standing appropriation; and five Acts in the Veterans— Affairs portfolio to remove spent veterans— affairs and military rehabilitation and compensation payments. Also repeals 28 Acts administered in eight portfolios.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 15/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 26/11/15; report due 3/2/16
Paid Parental Leave Amendment Bill 2014
see also Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2015
Amends the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to remove the requirement for employers to provide paid parental leave to eligible employees, unless an employer chooses to manage the payment to employees and the employees agree for the employer to pay them.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; Passed 2/6/14
Senate: Intro. 16/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 16/6/14
Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the: Members of Parliament (Life Gold Pass) Act 2002 to: amend the short title of the Act to Parliamentary Retirement Travel Act 2002; impose certain limits on access to the parliamentary retirement travel entitlement; reduce the number of trips available under the entitlement; remove the ability of spouses or de facto partners (other than those of a former prime minister) to access the entitlement; reduce the entitlement of spouses or de facto partners of a former prime minister; and require that all travel under the entitlement be subject to a public benefit test; and Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 to: apply a 25 per cent loading to any adjustment to a prescribed travel benefit; limit the domestic travel entitlement of dependent children of senior officers to those under 18 years of age; and enable the recovery of payments made which are beyond the entitlement.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/10/14; Passed 28/10/14
Senate: Intro. 29/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 29/10/14
Reference (SBC report 13/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 2/10/14; report tabled 24/11/14
PS Parliamentary Expenses Amendment (Transparency and Accountability) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the: Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 to: require an explanatory statement to be provided with certain types of travel entitlement claims by members, parliamentary office-holders and ministers; and provide for penalties if claims are made in excess of entitlement; and Ombudsman Act 1976 to expand the powers of the Commonwealth Ombudsman to include the scrutiny of parliamentary entitlements claims.
Senate: Intro. 13/8/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/8/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 20/8/15; report tabled 26/11/15
PS Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Amendment Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Wong — ALP)
Amends the: Intelligence Services Act 2001 to change the membership, powers and functions of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS); and Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 in relation to the provision of certain reports to the PJCIS.
Senate: Intro. 10/8/15; 2nd reading adjourned 10/8/15
PM Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australia Fund Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Palmer — PUP)
The bill: establishes a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australia Fund to: investigate the establishment of an Australia Fund to provide support and reconstruction for rural and manufacturing industries in times of crisis, and review bankruptcy and insolvency laws in relation to businesses in times of crisis; provides for the functions, powers and procedures of the committee; sets the timing for the committee—s report to be tabled; and provides that the committee ceases to exist after it presents its final report.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/3/14; Removed from Notice Paper 17/3/15
PS Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Amendment Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Act 1946 to prohibit the Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings from preventing the re-broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings for the purposes of satire or ridicule.
Senate: Intro. 13/11/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/11/13
Reference (SBC report 9/13): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 14/11/13; report tabled 12/2/14
PM Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Parliamentary Service Amendment Act 2015)
(Introduced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives — Mrs Bishop)
Amends the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 to provide that: the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), or a Deputy Commissioner or a senior executive AFP employee nominated by the Parliamentary Presiding Officers, be a member of the Security Management Board; and a function of the board is the operation of security measures.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/11/14; Passed 26/11/14
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 26/3/15
Reference (SBC report 16/14): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 4/12/14; report tabled 2/3/15
Assent: 1/4/15; Act No. 26, 2015
Passports Legislation Amendment (Integrity) Bill 2015
Amends: the Australian Passports Act 2005 and Foreign Passports (Law Enforcement and Security) Act 2005 to: ensure that the minister retains the power to issue a person with a travel-related document to facilitate a lawful requirement for a person to travel; provide more certainty as to who is required to consent to a child passport; provide that the minister may refuse to process a passport application if there are reasonable grounds to suspect fraud or dishonesty in the application; and amend and add offences; and 12 Acts to make consequential amendments. Also repeals the Australian Passports (Transitionals and Consequentials) Act 2005.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
CID amendments: 3 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 20/8/15
Assent: 10/9/15; Act No. 122, 2015
Personal Property Securities Amendment (Deregulatory Measures) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Personal Property Securities Amendment (Deregulatory Measures) Act 2015)
Amends the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 to provide that leases of serial numbered goods of 90 days or more will not be deemed to be leases for the purposes of the Act.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; Passed 14/5/15
Senate: Intro. 14/5/15; Passed 18/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 74, 2015
PS Poker Machine Harm Reduction ($1 Bets and Other Measures) Bill 2012 [2013]
R (Introduced by Senator Di Natale — AG and Senators Madigan and Xenophon — Ind)
The bill: regulates poker machine use by requiring that poker machines: must not accept banknotes with a denomination greater than $20; must not accept certain additional credits; must not allow a bet in excess of $1 per spin; and must not have a jackpot or a linked-jackpot arrangement greater than $500; and imposes penalties for a contravention of these requirements. Also provides: that the minister takes all reasonable steps to implement uniform national standards for poker machines in relation to harm minimisation, with particular reference to maximum losses, to take effect from 1 January 2015; and for the establishment of a national monitoring network.
Senate: Intro. 22/3/12; 2nd reading adjourned 22/3/12, 5/12/13
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 3/12/13
House of Representatives:
Reference (see item 31, Votes and Proceedings 29/9/10): Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform 22/3/12; report tabled in House and Senate 24/6/13
PS Privacy Amendment (Privacy Alerts) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Singh — ALP)
Amends the Privacy Act 1988 to establish a framework for the mandatory notification by regulated entities of serious data breaches to the Australian Information Commissioner and to affected individuals.
Senate: Intro. 20/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/14, 27/3/14, 19/6/14
PM Privacy Amendment (Protecting Children from Paparazzi) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
Amends the Privacy Act 1988 to provide for a new criminal offence for those who harass the children of celebrities or any other person due to that person—s vocation or occupation, through their attempt to photograph or record the child—s image or voice, whether by following or lying in wait for the child.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/15
Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2014
(Act citation: Private Health Insurance Amendment Act 2015)
Amends the Ombudsman Act 1976 and Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to: transfer the functions of the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman to the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman from 1 July 2015; provide for references to a base premium (previously intended to be used to calculate the private health insurance rebate) included in the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to be taken never to have been so included; and validate any overpayment that may have been made to private health insurers by the Commonwealth because of the inclusion of references to base premiums.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/12/14; Passed 26/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 14/5/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report tabled 13/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 57, 2015
PS Private Health Insurance Amendment (GP Services) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Di Natale — AG)
Amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to clarify that private health insurers may not enter into agreements or arrangements with primary care providers that provide preferential treatment to their members.
Senate: Intro. 27/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/3/14
Reference (SBC report 6/14): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 17/6/14; report tabled 4/9/14
Private Health Insurance (Collapsed Insurer Levy) Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of five bills to create a regime for the prudential regulation of private health insurers, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance (Collapsed Insurer Levy) Act 2003 to provide for the transfer of responsibility for the administration and collection of the collapsed insurer levy from the Private Health Insurance Administration Council and the Health Minister to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the Treasurer.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 86, 2015
Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Act 2009 to: enable the National Joint Replacement Register (NJRR) levy to be imposed on the recording on the NJRR of the provision of a joint replacement prosthesis, rather than for being a sponsor of a joint replacement prosthesis; set a cap of $5000 on the amount of NJRR levy payable for a financial year by a sponsor; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 18/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 75, 2015
Private Health Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Bill 2015
Part of a package of five bills to create a regime for the prudential regulation of private health insurers, the bill: transfers the prudential supervisory functions from the Private Health Insurance Administration Council to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA); provides for the registration of private health insurers and prohibits unregistered entities from carrying on a health related business; requires private health insurers to have health benefit funds; provides that APRA approves restructures, mergers, acquisitions and terminations of health benefit funds; empowers APRA to appoint an external manager of a health benefit fund; outlines duties and liabilities of directors; enables APRA to establish prudential standards and to exercise powers under the standards; outlines obligations of private health insurers; provides for the monitoring and investigation of private health insurers; provides that APRA can obtain an enforceable undertaking from a person in connection with a matter in relation to which APRA has a power or function; provides that APRA may seek remedies for a contravention of an enforceable obligation; provides for the Administrative Review Tribunal to review decisions made by APRA; and sets out matters in relation to approvals, determinations and rules.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 85, 2015
Private Health Insurance (Prudential Supervision) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2015
Part of a package of five bills to create a regime for the prudential regulation of private health insurers, the bill amends: the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998 to establish a new special account to administer the collapsed insurer levy; the Financial Institutions Supervisory Levies Collection Act 1998 to provide for the collection of the private health insurer supervisory levy and the collapsed insurer levy; the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001 to provide for the collection of data from private health insurers by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA); the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998, Ombudsman Act 1976 and Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to provide for matters relating to the secrecy and sharing of information concerning private health insurers; and five Acts to make consequential amendments. Also: repeals the Private Health Insurance (Council Administration Levy) Act 2003; and provides for transitional arrangements, including the transfer of the Private Health Insurance Administration Council—s staff, assets, liabilities and records to APRA.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 87, 2015
Private Health Insurance (Risk Equalisation Levy) Amendment Bill 2015
Part of a package of five bills to create a regime for the prudential regulation of private health insurers, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance (Risk Equalisation Levy) Act 2003 to provide that the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority determines and administers the risk equalisation levy imposed on bodies registered as private health insurers.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 84, 2015
Private Health Insurance (Risk Equalisation Levy) Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance (Risk Equalisation Levy) Act 2003 to extend the risk equalisation levy on private health insurers to Norfolk Island.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 56, 2015
Private Health Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Bill 2015
Part of a package of five bills to create a regime for the prudential regulation of private health insurers, the bill provides for the imposition of an annual supervisory levy (from the 2016-17 financial year) on bodies registered as private health insurers to recover the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority—s costs incurred in regulating that industry.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 17/6/15
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 83, 2015
Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015
Amends: the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) to: remove ambiguities in relation to governance arrangements; support the administration of goods and services tax obligations by non-corporate Commonwealth entities; clarify provisions in relation to reporting periods and the description of corporate plans; and streamline the administration of the transfer of functions between non-corporate Commonwealth entities; the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2014 to further clarify arrangements in relation to the implementation of the resource management framework under the PGPA Act; the Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011 and Climate Change Authority Act 2011 to: provide that the Clean Energy Regulator and the Climate Change Authority are not bodies corporate and do not have a separate legal identity from the Commonwealth; and list the relevant roles, membership, functions and powers of each entity for the purposes of the PGPA Act; 22 Acts to make consequential amendments; and 11 Acts in relation to various Commonwealth entities to clarify obligations, roles and responsibilities, and financial arrangements.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/2/15; Passed 24/3/15
CID amendments: 8 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 26/3/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report tabled 24/3/15
Assent: 13/4/15; Act No. 36, 2015
PS Public Service Amendment (Payments in Special Circumstances) Bill 2011 [2013]
R (Introduced by Senator Xenophon — Ind)
Amends the Public Service Act 1999 to enable agencies to make a discretionary payment in special circumstances (for example, for compensation) in excess of $100 000.
Senate: Intro. 12/5/11; 2nd reading adjourned 12/5/11
Reference (SBC report 9/11): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 7/7/11; report tabled 18/8/11
Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 10/12/13
Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Customs) Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Customs) Amendment Act 2015)
Part of a package of five bills to provide for a regulatory framework (which reflects and replaces the Quarantine Act 1908), the bill amends the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Customs) Act 2014 to: amend the short title of the Act to Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Customs) Act 2014; and continue recovery of costs for biosecurity services, as duties of customs, for prescribed matters associated with the administration of the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 17/3/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 47, 2015
Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Excise) Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Excise) Amendment Act 2015)
Part of a package of five bills to provide for a regulatory framework (which reflects and replaces the Quarantine Act 1908), the bill amends the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Excise) Act 2014 to: amend the short title of the Act to Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Excise) Act 2014; and continue recovery of costs for biosecurity services, as duties of excise, for prescribed matters associated with the administration of the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 17/3/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 48, 2015
Quarantine Charges (Imposition—General) Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Quarantine Charges (Imposition—General) Amendment Act 2015)
Part of a package of five bills to provide for a regulatory framework (which reflects and replaces the Quarantine Act 1908), the bill amends the Quarantine Charges (Imposition—General) Act 2014 to: amend the short title of the Act to Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Act 2014; and continue recovery of costs for biosecurity services, so far as those charges are neither duties of customs nor duties of excise, for prescribed matters associated with the administration of the proposed Biosecurity Act 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/11/14; Passed 9/2/15
Senate: Intro. 10/2/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 15/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 27/11/14; report tabled 17/3/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 49, 2015
PS Racial Discrimination Amendment Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Day — FFP, Senators Bernardi and Smith — LP and Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP)
Amends the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 to amend section 18C (which makes unlawful certain offensive acts that are done because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin) to remove the words —offend— and —insult—.
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/9/14, 2/10/14, 15/10/15
PS Recognition of Foreign Marriages Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: remove the prohibition of the recognition of same sex marriages solemnised in a foreign country; and provide that these marriages are recognised under the laws of Australia.
Senate: Intro. 15/5/14; 2nd reading adjourned 15/5/14
Reference (SBC report 5/14): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 15/5/14; extension of time to report 27/8/14; report tabled 25/9/14
Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land Bill 2015
Part of a package of three bills in relation to Australia—s foreign investment framework, the bill establishes a Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land to be administered by the Commissioner of Taxation.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 17/9/15
Senate: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 11/11/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 20/8/15; extension of time to report 12/10/15; report tabled 14/10/15
Assent: 25/11/15; Act No. 151, 2015
PS Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Di Natale — AG, Senator Macdonald — LP, Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP and Senator Urquhart — ALP)
The bill: establishes a Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis to be responsible for formulating rules and monitoring compliance with those rules for licensing the production, manufacture, supply, use, experimental use and import and export of medicinal cannabis; and provides for a national system to regulate the cultivation, production and use of medicinal cannabis products, and related activities such as research.
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/14
Reference (SBC report 1/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/2/15; extensions of time to report 26/3/15, 12/5/15, 15/6/15, 18/6/15; interim report tabled 25/6/15; extensions of time for final report 25/6/15, 10/8/15; final report tabled 11/8/15
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 to: adjust the required GWh of renewable source electricity in each year from 2016 to 2030 with a GWh target of 33000 GWh in 2020; and replace the current partial exemption for electricity used in emissions-intensive trade-exposed activities with a full exemption; Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and Climate Change Authority Act 2011 to remove the requirement for the Climate Change Authority to undertake biennial reviews on the operation of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and subordinate regulations; and Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 to reinstate native forest wood waste as an eligible source of renewable energy.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 2/6/15
CID amendments: 4 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Committee amendments: 4 Opp/negatived; 2 AG/negatived; 1 PUP/negatived; 1 Ind (Lazarus)/negatived; 1 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived; 2 Parts opposed (AG)/Parts agreed to; 1 item opposed (Ind (Lazarus))/item agreed to
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 90, 2015
PS Reserve Bank Amendment (Australian Reconstruction and Development Board) Bill 2013
(Introduced by Senators Xenophon and Madigan — Ind)
Amends the Reserve Bank Act 1959 to: establish the Australian Reconstruction and Development Board as the third Board within the Reserve Bank of Australia; and provide for the functions, membership, meetings and other administrative arrangements of the board, including resolving any policy differences between the three boards.
Senate: Intro. 5/12/13; 2nd reading adjourned 5/12/13
Reference (SBC report 11/13): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 12/12/13; extensions of time to report 25/3/14, 17/6/14, 15/7/14, 2/12/14; report presented out of sitting 31/3/15
PS Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Leyonhjelm — LDP)
Amends the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 and Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 to remove the prohibition on legalising voluntary euthanasia. Also repeals the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997.
Senate: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Rural Research and Development Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the: Australian Grape and Wine Authority Act 2013, Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989 and Sugar Research and Development Services Act 2013 to enable the Commonwealth to recover the cost of membership fees to international commodity organisations and regional fisheries management organisations from the matching amounts paid to rural research and development corporations (RDCs); Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997, Dairy Produce Act 1986, Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2007 and Sugar Research and Development Services Act 2013 to remove the tabling requirements for certain documents; and Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989 to remove the requirement for the minister to organise an annual co-ordination meeting for RDC chairs.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/9/14; Passed 27/10/14
Senate: Intro. 28/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 28/10/14
Reference (SBC report 12/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 25/9/14; extension of time to report 18/11/14; report tabled 3/12/14
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Improving the Comcare Scheme) Bill 2015
Amends the: Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 in relation to: eligibility requirements for compensation; the financial viability of the Comcare scheme; medical expense payments; the requirements for determining compensation payable; household and attendant care services; the suspension of compensation payments for certain citizens absent from Australia; taking or accruing leave while on compensation leave; the calculation of compensation payments; the compulsory redemption threshold; legal costs for proceedings before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; compensation for permanent impairment; single employer licences; gradual onset injuries and associated injuries; obligations of mutuality; exception of defence-related claims from certain changes; and definitions; Military, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 and Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 in relation to: the vocational nature of rehabilitation services; and return to work outcomes; and Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 to provide that decisions relating to compensation paid for detriment caused by defective administration are not subject to review.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 1/6/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 15/6/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report tabled 16/6/15
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the: Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 and Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to: remove the requirement for a ministerial declaration for a corporation to be eligible to be granted a licence for self-insurance; enable certain corporations to apply to join the Comcare scheme; allow a former Commonwealth authority to apply to be a self-insurer in the Comcare scheme and be granted a group licence if it meets the national employer test; enable group licences to be granted to related corporations; and extend coverage to corporations that are licenced to self-insure; Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to exclude access to workers— compensation when injuries occur during recess breaks away from an employer—s premises or a person engages in serious and wilful misconduct; and Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/3/14; Passed 26/11/14
Senate: Intro. 27/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/14
Reference (SBC report 5/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 15/5/14; report tabled 8/7/14
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment (Exit Arrangements) Bill 2015
Amends the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to: provide for financial and other arrangements for a Commonwealth authority to exit the Comcare scheme; clarify that premiums for current Commonwealth authorities and entities should be calculated having regard to the principle that current and prospective liabilities should be fully funded by Comcare-retained funds and so much of the consolidated revenue fund as would be available; change the appointment process and membership of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission; and make consequential and technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 12/5/15
CID amendments: 18 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; 2nd reading adjourned 13/5/15, 14/5/15
Reference (SBC report 3/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 19/3/15; report presented out of sitting 8/5/15
PS Save Our Sharks Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Siewert — AG)
The bill: voids the exemption granted on 10 January 2014 in relation to 72 baited drum lines deployed to catch sharks in Western Australia; and prevents the minister from granting further exemptions.
Senate: Intro. 25/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 25/3/14
Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 and Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 to clarify that the Seacare scheme is not intended to apply to certain employees engaged on ships undertaking intrastate trade or commerce; and Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 to ensure that where an employee—s employment is not covered by the Seacare scheme, their employer will not be liable for a levy in respect of that employee.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/2/15; Passed 24/3/15
CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 13/5/15
Reference (SBC report 2/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 5/3/15; report tabled 24/3/15
Committee amendments: 5 Govt/passed; 2 items negatived (Govt)
[House agreed to Senate amendments 14/5/15]
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 51, 2015
PM Sex Discrimination Amendment (Boosting Superannuation for Women) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Bandt — AG)
Amends the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to provide that discrimination by an employer against a female employee is not unlawful if the discrimination involves the employer making a superannuation contribution that is more than otherwise required by law.
House of Representatives: Intro. 1/12/14; Removed from Notice Paper 16/6/15
Shipping Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends: the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 to: amend the short title of the Act to Coastal Shipping Act 2015; replace the existing three tiered licensing system with a single permit system, available to Australian and foreign vessels, which will provide access to the Australian coast for a period of 12 months; and establish a framework of entitlements for seafarers on foreign vessels engaging or intending to engage in coastal shipping for more than 183 days; the Shipping Registration Act 1981 to allow vessels to be registered on the Australian International Shipping Register when they engage in international shipping for 90 days or more; and four Acts to make consequential amendments. Also repeals the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2012.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 14/10/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 26/11/15
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 25/6/15; report tabled 12/10/15
PS Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Consumer Lease Exclusion) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Cameron — ALP)
Amends the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to provide that consumer leases are excluded goods for the purposes of the income management regime.
Senate: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 10/9/15
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 19/10/15
PS Social Security Amendment (Caring for People on Newstart) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Siewert — AG)
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: increase the single rates of newstart and youth allowance by $50 a week; and standardise the indexation arrangements for certain pensions and allowances; and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to provide that these payments are made from monies appropriated by the Parliament.
Senate: Intro. 6/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 6/3/14
PS Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Siewert — AG)
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to enable single parents to access the parenting payment (single) until their youngest child has turned 16 years of age; Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to provide for payments under this Act; and Fair Work Act 2009 to provide for an enforceable right to request flexible work arrangements for people with caring responsibilities, including single parents.
Senate: Intro. 17/11/14; 2nd reading adjourned 17/11/14
S Social Security Legislation Amendment (Community Development Program) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to: create new income support payment and compliance arrangements for individuals living in remote Australia who are eligible for activity tested income support payments including newstart, youth allowance, parenting payment, disability support pension and special benefit; and remove spent provisions in relation to the Northern Territory Community CDEP Transition Payment and the Community Development Employment Project Scheme; and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and proposed Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment) Act 2015 to make consequential amendments.
Senate: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 29/2/16
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to enable a trial of cashless welfare arrangements by disbursing 80 per cent of certain social security payments to a restricted bank account, accessed by a debit card which does not allow cash withdrawals; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 15/9/15
Senate: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Reference (SBC 10/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 20/8/15; report tabled 12/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 144, 2015
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Further Strengthening Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2015
Amends the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 in relation to the job seeker compliance framework by: strengthening and aligning financial penalties for failure to enter into an Employment Pathway Plan; suspending participation payments and applying financial penalties for failure to behave in an appropriate manner at an appointment; enabling more immediate application of financial penalties for failure to participate in activities or job interviews; suspending participation payments for inadequate job search; removing waivers for serious financial penalties incurred for refusing or failing to accept a suitable job; renaming all failures resulting in short-term financial penalties as —no show no pay— failures; and removing redundant provisions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
CID amendments: 19 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; 2nd reading adjourned 14/10/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report tabled 24/11/15
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014
see also Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2015, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2015 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends: the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and Social Security Act 1991 to: pause indexation on certain income free and income test free areas and thresholds for three years from 1 July 2015; index parenting payment single to the consumer price index; and pause indexation of income free areas and other means-test thresholds for student payments, including student income bank limits; the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999: to maintain the standard family tax benefit (FTB) child rates for two years in the maximum and base rate of FTB Part A and the maximum rate of FTB Part B from 1 July 2015; and in relation to FTB (from 1 July 2015) by: revising end-of-year supplements to their original values and ceasing indexation; reducing the primary earner income limit; limiting FTB Part B; and introducing a single parent supplement; the Social Security Act 1991 to: extend and simplify the ordinary waiting period for all working age payments from 1 January 2015; extend youth allowance (other) to 22 to 24 year olds in lieu of newstart allowance and sickness allowance from 1 January 2015; and provide for 26-week waiting periods and non-payment periods from 1 January 2015; the Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to abolish the pensioner education supplement from 1 January 2015; the Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to abolish the education entry payment from 1 January 2015; the Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to remove the three months— backdating of disability pension from 1 January 2015; and five Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/10/14; Passed 22/10/14
Senate: Intro. 28/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 28/10/14
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 5) Bill 2014
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to: pause indexation of income test free areas for pensions (other than parenting payment single) and deeming thresholds for three years from 1 July 2017; index pensions (other than parenting payment single) to the consumer price index from 20 September 2017; reduce social security and veterans— entitlements income test deeming thresholds from 20 September 2017; and increase the age pension qualifying age, and the non-veteran pension age, from 67 to 70 years by six months every two years, commencing on 1 July 2025; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 2/10/14
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Supplement Cessation) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Supplement Cessation) Act 2015)
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to abolish the senior supplement for holders of the Commonwealth seniors health card or the veterans— affairs gold card from 20 June 2015; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/10/14; Passed 22/10/14
Senate: Intro. 28/10/14; Passed 22/6/15
Committee amendments: 2 Govt/passed
[House agreed to Senate amendments 22/6/15]
Assent: 26/6/15; Act No. 91, 2015
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Student Measures) Bill 2014
Amends: the Social Security Act 1991 and Student Assistance Act 1973 to enable an interest charge to be applied to certain debts relating to austudy payment, fares allowance, youth allowance payments to full-time students and apprentices, and ABSTUDY living allowance payments; and nine Acts to replace the student start-up scholarship with an income-contingent student start-up loan.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/7/14; Passed 22/10/14
Senate: Intro. 28/10/14; 2nd reading adjourned 28/10/14
Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Social Security Act 1991 to provide that certain persons cannot be paid social security payments when they are in psychiatric confinement because they have been charged with a serious offence.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 28/5/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 15/6/15, 10/8/15
Reference (SBC report 4/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 26/3/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2015
see also Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends: the Social Security Act 1991 to: reduce from 26 to six weeks the period during which age pension and other payments with unlimited portability can be paid outside Australia at the means-tested rate from 1 January 2017; and pause for three years the indexation of various income thresholds that apply to certain social security benefits and allowances and the income test free area for parenting payment single; the Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to abolish the pensioner education supplement from 1 January 2016; the Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to abolish the education entry payment from 1 January 2016; and seven Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 4/2/16
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cost of Living Concession) Bill 2015
Amends the Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to exclude the cost of living concession payment made by the South Australian Government from being assessed as income under the social security and veterans— affairs income tests.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 142, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Defined Benefit Income Streams) Bill 2015
Amends the Social Security Act 1991 to provide that the deductible amount for defined benefit income streams, excluding military defined benefits schemes, is capped at a maximum 10 per cent of the gross payments to an individual for the income year.
House of Representatives: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 23/6/15
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; Passed 24/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 107, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Pensions) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991, Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 and Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Act 2014 to increase the assets test free areas and the taper rate by which a pension is reduced once the free areas are exceeded from 1 January 2017; and Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to provide that people whose pension is nil on 1 January 2017 as a result of the assets test changes will automatically be issued with a Commonwealth seniors health card or a health card.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
CID amendments: 6 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 22/6/15; Passed 22/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Community Affairs Legislation Committee 4/6/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; variations of reporting date 16/6/15 (SBC report 6/15), 18/6/15; report tabled 22/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 110, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and A New Tax (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to: reduce to six weeks the period during which family tax benefit (FTB) Part A, and additional payments that rely on FTB eligibility, will be paid to recipients who are outside Australia from 1 January 2016; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to cease the large family supplement from 1 January 2016.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 22/2/16
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015
see also Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2015
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to restructure family tax benefit Part B by removing the benefit for couple families (other than grandparents or great-grandparents) with a youngest child 13 years of age or over.
House of Representatives: Intro. 21/10/15; Passed 26/11/15
CID amendments: 10 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 30/11/15; Passed 30/11/15
Reference (SBC report 14/15): Provisions of bill referred to Community Affairs Legislation Committee 12/11/15; report tabled 30/11/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 173, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2015
see also Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to: increase family tax benefit (FTB) Part A fortnightly rates by $10.08 for each FTB child in the family up to 19 years of age; restructure FTB Part B by: increasing the standard rate by $1000.10 per year for families with a youngest child aged under one; maintaining certain standard rates for families, single parents who are at least 60 years of age, grandparents and great-grandparents; and introducing a reduced rate of $1000.10 per year for individuals with a youngest child aged 13 to 16 years of age who are not single parents aged 60 or more or grandparents or great-grandparents; and phase out the FTB Part A and Part B supplements; Social Security Act 1991 to increase certain youth allowance and disability support pension fortnightly rates by approximately $10.44 for recipients under 18 years of age; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 1/3/16
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Low Income Supplement) Bill 2015
see also Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to cease the low income supplement from 1 July 2017; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 14/10/15
Senate: Intro. 14/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 143, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 in relation to: special benefit payments; assessment of full-time study load for youth allowance and austudy payments; the definition of new apprentices; exemptions from the assets test for austudy payments; indexation of pharmaceutical allowance; calculating allowable income for the purposes of step 2 of the health care card income test calculator; and technical corrections; and A New Tax (Family Assistance)(Administration) Act 1999 to: re-align the time period for income reconciliation for certain family tax benefit recipients; and remove a delegation provision.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Social Services Legislation Amendment (More Generous Means Testing for Youth Payments) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: remove the family assets test and the family actual means test from the youth allowance parental means test arrangements; align parental income test exemptions for youth allowance with existing arrangements for family tax benefit (FTB) Part A; apply a separate maintenance income test for the treatment of child support; and provide that, where a family has a dependent child who receives an individual youth payment that is parentally income-tested and younger siblings who qualify for FTB, the family pool for the youth parental income test will include all FTB children; and Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to remove maintenance income from the youth allowance parental income test assessment.
House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/15; Passed 9/11/15
Senate: Intro. 10/11/15; Passed 12/11/15
Reference (SBC report 11/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 10/9/15; report tabled 9/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/passed
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 159, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to abolish certain incentive payments in relation to income management; Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 in relation to the operation of the income management regime and vulnerable welfare payment recipients; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to make consequential amendments; Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to cease the payment of residential care subsidy for care recipients during a period of leave taken before entering a residential care service; and Aged Care Act 1997 to abolish the Aged Care Planning Advisory Committees.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 7/9/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 28/5/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Committee amendments: 5 Govt/passed; 1 Opp/passed; 1 Part negatived (Opp); 1 item negatived (Opp)
[House agreed to Senate amendments 8/9/15]
Assent: 16/9/15; Act No. 128, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (No Jab, No Pay) Bill 2015
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to: ensure children fully meet immunisation requirements for payment of child care benefit, child care rebate or the family tax benefit Part A supplement; and extend the immunisation requirements to include children of all ages.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 20/10/15
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 23/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 17/9/15; extension of time to report 9/11/15; report tabled 11/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/passed
Committee amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 158, 2015
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015
see also Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Budget Repair) Bill 2015, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Low Income Supplement) Bill 2015 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment) Bill 2015
Amends: the Social Security Act 1991 to: extend and simplify the ordinary waiting period for all working age payments from 1 July 2015; extend youth allowance (other) to 22 to 24 year olds in lieu of newstart allowance and sickness allowance from 1 July 2016; provide for a four-week waiting period for certain persons aged under 25 years applying for youth allowance (other) or special benefit from 1 July 2016; and pause indexation on certain income free and income test free areas and thresholds for three years; the Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to cease the low income supplement from 1 July 2017; and four Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 24/6/15
Senate: Intro. 25/6/15; Negatived at 2nd reading 9/9/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 28/5/15; extension of time to report 15/6/15; report tabled 11/8/15
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment) Bill 2015
see also Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014 and Social Services Legislation Amendment (Youth Employment and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: extend and simplify the ordinary waiting period for all working age payments; extend youth allowance (other) to 22 to 24 year olds in lieu of newstart allowance and sickness allowance; provide for a four-week waiting period for certain persons aged under 25 years applying for youth allowance (other) or special benefit and require these job seekers to complete certain pre-benefit activities; and Farm Household Support Act 2014 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 16/9/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 13/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 15/10/15; report tabled 30/11/15
Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014
(Act citation: Statute Law Revision Act (No. 1) 2015)
Amends: 35 Acts to correct technical errors; 49 Acts to replace references to —servants— with references to —employees—; the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 and Defence Act 1903 to remove gender-specific language; the Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to make technical amendments; the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990, Radiocommunications Act 1992 and Telecommunications Act 1997 to remove spent and obsolete provisions; and the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Limited Sale Act 1993 to make an amendment consequential on a repeal. Also repeals the Conciliation and Arbitration (Electricity Industry) Act 1985, Immigration (Education) Charge Act 1992 and Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Act 1970.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 29/10/14
Senate: Intro. 30/10/14; Passed 11/2/15
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 5, 2015
Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2015
Amends: 19 Acts and the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Flight Crew Licensing) Regulation 2014 to amend errors, remove redundant provisions, and renumber text; 37 Acts to: clarify on the face of Acts that the Crown in right of the Australian Capital Territory and of the Northern Territory is bound; and modernise provisions about whether the Crown is liable to be prosecuted for an offence; 31 Acts to replace references to —reference base— with references to —index reference period—; the Parliamentary Presiding Officers Act 1965 and Public Works Committee Act 1969 to remove gender-specific language; and the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 and Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 to: remove spent provisions; and make amendments consequential on their removal. Also repeals six Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 12/10/15
Senate: Intro. 12/10/15; Passed 15/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 145, 2015
Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 3) 2015
Amends: 19 Acts to correct technical errors; the Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 to: clarify on the face of an Act that the Crown in right of the Australian Capital Territory and of the Northern Territory is bound; and modernise the provision about whether the Crown is liable to be prosecuted for an offence; 152 Acts to replace references to —guilty of an offence— with references to —commits an offence— or similar phrases; eight Acts to replace references to —reference base— with references to —index reference period—; and five Acts to remove spent and obsolete provisions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 2/12/15
PS Stop Dumping on the Great Barrier Reef Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 to: prohibit offshore dumping of dredge spoil within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; and provide that dumping which has been approved after 9 December 2013 cannot proceed.
Senate: Intro. 4/9/14; 2nd reading adjourned 4/9/14
Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Bill 2015
Introduced with the Education Legislation Amendment (Overseas Debt Recovery) Bill 2015 to create an overseas payment obligation for Australians living overseas with a Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) or Trade Support Loan (TSL) debt, the bill imposes the requirement to pay HELP and TSL debts while overseas as a levy.
House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/15; Passed 15/10/15
Senate: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 9/11/15
Assent: 26/11/15; Act No. 155, 2015
Succession to the Crown Bill 2015
To effect changes to the law consistent with changes being made to the law in the United Kingdom, the bill: ends the system of male preference primogeniture so that the future order of succession will be determined simply by order of birth; removes the bar on succession for an heir and successor of the Sovereign who marries a Catholic; limits the requirement that the Sovereign consent to the marriage of a descendant of his late Majesty King George the Second to the six persons nearest in line to the Crown; validates some marriages voided by the Royal Marriages Act 1772 of Great Britain; makes consequential amendments to the Act of Settlement and Bill of Rights; and repeals the Royal Marriages Act 1772.
House of Representatives: Intro. 5/3/15; Passed 17/3/15
Senate: Intro. 18/3/15; Passed 19/3/15
Assent: 24/3/15; Act No. 23, 2015
Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 to remove the obligation for employers to offer a choice of superannuation fund to temporary resident employees, or when superannuation funds merge.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 15/6/15
Senate: Intro. 16/6/15; Passed 18/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 28/5/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 71, 2015
Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Trustee Governance) Bill 2015
Amends the: Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to: require trustees of registrable superannuation entity licensees to have a minimum of one-third independent directors and an independent chair on their boards; and make consequential amendments; and Governance of Australian Government Superannuation Schemes Act 2011 to restructure the board of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation by reducing the number of directors from eleven to nine and providing for the majority of the directors to be independent.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 20/10/15
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; 2nd reading agreed to 25/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report tabled 9/11/15
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 5) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 5) Act 2015)
see also Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 3) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to abolish the mature age worker tax offset; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Shipping Reform (Tax Incentives) Act 2012 to abolish the seafarer tax offset; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: reduce the tax offset rates available under the research and development tax incentive for the first $100 million of eligible expenditure by 1.5 per cent; and update the list of deductible gift recipients.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/9/14; Passed 24/9/14
Senate: Intro. 25/9/14; Passed 2/3/15
Reference (SBC report 12/14): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 25/9/14; report tabled 28/10/14
Committee amendments: 2 Opp/passed; 2 Schedules negatived (Opp); 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to
[House agreed to Senate amendments 3/3/15]
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 20, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 7) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 7) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Excess Exploration Credit Tax Bill 2014, the bill amends: the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to provide individuals with an option to be taxed on the earnings associated with their excess superannuation non concessional contribution at their marginal tax rate; the Inspector-General of Taxation Act 2003 and Ombudsman Act 1976 to transfer the tax investigative and complaint handling functions of the Commonwealth Ombudsman to the Inspector-General of Taxation and merge that function with the existing function of conducting systemic reviews; the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 in relation to capital gains tax exemption for certain compensation or damages; the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to ensure that individuals whose superannuation benefits are involuntarily transferred from one superannuation plan to another plan are not disadvantaged through the transfer; the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: remove the need for a roll-over benefit statement to be provided to an individual whose superannuation benefits are involuntarily transferred; and allow taxation officers to record or disclose personal information in certain circumstances; the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to provide for an exploration development tax incentive for investment in small mineral exploration companies undertaking greenfields mineral exploration; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments; and 16 Acts to make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 4/12/14; Passed 25/2/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 2/3/15; Passed 3/3/15
Committee amendments: 2 Schedules opposed (AG)/Schedules agreed to
Assent: 19/3/15; Act No. 21, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 1) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Medicare Levy Act 1986 and Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 1) Act 2014 to abolish the dependent spouse tax offset; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 in relation to the offshore banking unit regime; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to exempt the Global Infrastructure Hub Ltd from income tax liability; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2013 Measures No. 2) Act 2013 to update the list of deductible gift recipients; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to enable foreign entities to qualify for concessions under the investment manager regime either by investing directly in Australia or investing through an Australian fund manager. Also repeals the First Home Saver Account Providers Supervisory Levy Imposition Act 2008, First Home Saver Accounts Act 2008 and Income Tax (First Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Act 2008, makes consequential amendments to 18 Acts to abolish the first home saver accounts scheme, and makes technical and miscellaneous amendments to 16 Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 16/6/15
CID amendments: 13 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 17/6/15; Passed 17/6/15
Reference (see item 12, Journals of the Senate 13/5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 27/5/15; report tabled 15/6/15
Committee amendment: 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 70, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 2) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to: provide tax relief to taxpayers entering into certain arrangements in relation to mining, quarrying and prospecting rights and information; and amend the company loss recoupment rules; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to extend the effective life of in-house software from four to five years; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to provide income tax look-through treatment for instalment warrants, instalment receipts, and other similar arrangements, and for certain limited recourse borrowing arrangements entered into by regulated superannuation funds.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 19/8/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 19/8/15; Passed 7/9/15
Assent: 16/9/15; Act No. 130, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 3) Bill 2015
see also Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 5) Bill 2014
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Shipping Reform (Tax Incentives) Act 2012 to abolish the seafarer tax offset; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to reduce the tax offset rates available under the research and development tax incentive for the first $100 million of eligible expenditure by 1.5 per cent.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 17/6/15
Senate: Intro. 18/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 18/6/15, 14/9/15
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 4) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to ensure that capital gains tax scrip for scrip roll-over rules apply appropriately; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to remove the income tax exemption for employees of an Australian government agency who work overseas for not less than 91 days delivering Official Development Assistance; and Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 to increase the account balance threshold below which small lost member accounts must be transferred to the Commissioner of Taxation.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 14/9/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 14/9/15; Passed 16/9/15
Committee amendment: 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to
Assent: 13/10/15; Act No. 135, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 5) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: reduce the methods for calculating work-related car expense deductions to include the logbook method and the cents per kilometre method; and provide for a single rate for the calculation of the cents per kilometre method to be determined by the Commissioner of Taxation; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to restrict the application of the Zone Tax Offset to people whose usual place of residence is within a zone or a prescribed area within a zone; Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1936 to limit the concessional treatment of salary packaged entertainment benefits; Taxation Administration Act 1953 to create a new reporting regime which requires third parties to report to the commissioner on certain transactions which could reasonably be expected to have tax consequences for other entities; and Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 15/10/15; Passed 23/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 24/11/15; Passed 25/11/15
Assent: 30/11/15; Act No. 162, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 6) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to change the capital gains tax treatment of the sale and purchase of businesses involving certain earnout rights (rights to future payments linked to the performance of an asset or assets after sale); and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to impose withholding obligations on the purchasers of certain Australian assets. Also makes consequential amendments to five Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Better Targeting the Income Tax Transparency Laws) Bill 2015
Amends the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to exempt Australian-owned private companies from the requirement that the Commissioner of Taxation publish certain tax information in relation to corporate tax entities that report total income above $100 million.
House of Representatives: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 14/9/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/9/15; Passed 15/10/15
Reference (SBC report 11/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 10/9/15; report tabled 12/10/15
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 149, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Employee Share Schemes) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 in relation to the taxation of employee share schemes by: amending the taxing point for rights for employees of all corporate tax entities; and providing an additional tax concession for employees of certain small start-up companies; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: enable the Commissioner of Taxation to approve a method for determining the market value of an asset or non-cash benefit for income tax purposes; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/3/15; Passed 27/5/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 25/6/15
Reference (SBC report 5/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 14/5/15; report tabled 16/6/15
Assent: 30/6/15; Act No. 105, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy and Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2015
Amends the A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Act 1999 and Medicare Levy Act 1986 to: increase the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge low-income threshold amounts for individuals, families and single taxpayers eligible for the seniors and pensioners tax offset; and increase the phase-in limits as a result of the increased threshold amounts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/5/15; Passed 4/6/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 18/6/15
Assent: 25/6/15; Act No. 69, 2015
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island Reforms) Bill 2015
Part of a package of eight bills to reform the legal and governance framework for Norfolk Island, the bill amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: remove an income tax exemption available to Norfolk Island residents, companies and trustees on income sourced from Norfolk Island and outside Australia; and remove the full exemption from the Medicare levy for residents; Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to apply transitional arrangements to the capital gains tax liabilities of resident entities; and Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 to: remove superannuation guarantee exemptions that apply to employers and employees in relation to work performed on Norfolk Island; and establish transitional arrangements which will phase in the superannuation guarantee over the next 12 years.
House of Representatives: Intro. 26/3/15; Passed 12/5/15
Senate: Intro. 13/5/15; Passed 14/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 53, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Combating Multinational Tax Avoidance) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: provide for a standard and centralised set of concepts to determine whether an entity is a —significant global entity—; and introduce new standards for transfer pricing documentation and country-by-country reporting by significant global entities; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to negate certain tax avoidance schemes used by multinational entities to artificially avoid the attribution of profits to a permanent establishment in Australia; and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: increase the penalties imposed on significant global entities that enter into tax avoidance or profit shifting schemes; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 16/9/15; Passed 19/10/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 9/11/15; Passed 11/11/15
Reference (SBC report 12/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 17/9/15; report tabled 9/11/15
Committee amendments: 2 AG/passed; 1 Ind (Xenophon)/passed; 1 AG/negatived
[House disagreed to Senate amendments 12/11/15; Senate did not insist on its amendments and agreed to 4 AG amendments in place of its amendments nos 2 and 3 (1 Opp amendment and 1 AMEP amendment to replace amendment no. 3 negatived; 1 further AMEP amendment negatived) 3/12/15; House agreed to Senate amendments made in place of amendments nos 2 and 3, 3/12/15]
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 170, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Gifts) Bill 2015
Amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to add two organisations to the list of specifically listed deductible gift recipients.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; Passed 25/11/15
Senate: Intro. 25/11/15; Passed 26/11/15
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 177, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Implementation of the Common Reporting Standard) Bill 2015
Amends the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: require financial institutions to carry out Common Reporting Standard due diligence procedures to identify reportable accounts held by foreign tax residents and provide statements about those accounts; require financial institutions to provide a statement in relation to certain accounts if they receive a notice requiring them to do so; provide for administrative penalties when financial institutions fail to collect account holder self-certifications about the jurisdiction of residence for tax purposes; and require financial institutions to keep records for at least five years that explain the procedures used for identifying these accounts. Also makes consequential amendments to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 5) Act 2015 and Taxation Administration Act 1953.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Tax Laws Amendment (New Tax System for Managed Investment Trusts) Bill 2015
Part of a package of four bills to establish a new tax system for certain managed investment trusts, the bill amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: establish the new class of attribution managed investment trusts (AMIT); and enable the Commissioner of Taxation to determine an amount of non-arm—s length income in relation to a managed investment trust (MIT); Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide that a member of an AMIT will make a capital gain or capital loss when a capital gains tax event happens to their membership interests; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to provide that fund payment withholding provisions apply when a withholding MIT makes a fund payment to another entity that has a place of payment or address outside Australia; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to exclude certain superannuation funds and exempt entities from the application of the 20 per cent tracing rule for public trading trusts; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to remove the corporate unit trust rules; and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to extend the list of entities qualifying as eligible investors for the purpose of the widely held requirements. Also amends 13 Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15
Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013
(Act citation: Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Act 2015)
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to deny access to the research and development tax incentive for companies with aggregated assessable income of $20 billion or more for an income year; and Industry Research and Development Act 1986 to provide that the conditions for eligibility of research and development activities conducted outside Australia continue to operate as intended.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/11/13; Passed 9/12/13
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived
Senate: Intro. 10/12/13; Passed 10/2/15
Reference (SBC report 10/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 5/12/13; report tabled 17/3/14
Committee amendments: 2 PUP-Ind (Xenophon)/passed; 1 Opp to PUP-Ind (Xenophon)/negatived; 1 AG/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendments 12/2/15]
Assent: 5/3/15; Act No. 13, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Small Business Measures No. 1) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Rates Act 1986 to reduce the company tax rate from 30 per cent to 28.5 per cent for companies that are small business entities with an aggregated turnover of less than $2 million; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Income Tax Rates Act 1986 and proposed Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2015 Measures No. 1) Act 2015 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 4/6/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 15/6/15
Assent: 22/6/15; Act No. 66, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Small Business Measures No. 2) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to temporarily increase the threshold under which certain depreciating assets, costs incurred in relation to depreciating assets and general small business pools can be written off; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: make consequential amendments; enable primary producers to claim an immediate deduction for capital expenditure on water facilities and fencing assets; and deduct capital expenditure on fodder storage assets over three years.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 4/6/15
Senate: Intro. 15/6/15; Passed 15/6/15
Assent: 22/6/15; Act No. 67, 2015
Tax Laws Amendment (Small Business Measures No. 3) Bill 2015
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: provide a 5 per cent tax offset (capped at $1000 per income year) to individuals who run small businesses with an aggregate annual turnover of less than $2 million, or who have a share of a small business— income included in their assessable income; and enable small businesses and individuals to immediately deduct certain costs incurred when starting up a business; and Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to extend the fringe benefits tax exemption that applies to employers that provide employees with work-related portable electronic devices.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 12/8/15
Senate: Intro. 13/8/15; Passed 13/8/15
Assent: 26/8/15; Act No. 114, 2015
PM Tax Laws Amendment (Tax Transparency) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Dr Leigh — ALP)
Amends the Tax Laws Amendment (2013 Measures No. 2) Act 2013 to bring forward to the 2012-13 financial year the requirement for the Commissioner of Taxation to publish certain tax information for corporate entities with a total income of $100 million or more.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/11/14; Removed from Notice Paper 2/6/15
PM Telecommunications Amendment (Giving the Community Rights on Phone Towers) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the Telecommunications Act 1997 to: require owners and occupiers of land to be notified of a proposal to either build or modify a telecommunications tower within 500 metres of their property; provide that notified owners and occupiers have 30 days in which to respond to the proposed development; provide that new telecommunications towers cannot be declared to be low impact; limit the size and capacity of telecommunications towers; provide that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) can issue installation permits for high impact facilities only in extraordinary circumstances; disallow ACMA from considering commercial interests when determining the importance of a facility in a telecommunications network; require ACMA, when considering developments near community sensitive sites, to be satisfied that all alternative sites are unfeasible; and enable local communities to appeal a facility installation permit being granted with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
House of Representatives: Intro. 27/10/14; Removed from Notice Paper 26/5/15
Telecommunications (Industry Levy) Amendment Bill 2014
(Act citation: Telecommunications (Industry Levy) Amendment Act 2015)
Introduced with the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Bill 2014, the bill amends the Telecommunications (Industry Levy) Act 2012 to provide that the imposition of the industry levy will continue to operate under the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 following the repeal of the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 25/11/14
Senate: Intro. 1/12/14; Passed 25/3/15
References:
SBC report 14/14: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 30/10/14; report tabled 9/2/15
Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 10/2/15; report presented out of sitting 20/3/15
Assent: 13/4/15; Act No. 37, 2015
Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015
(Previous title: Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014)
Implements recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security—s (PJCIS) Report of the Inquiry into Potential Reforms of Australia—s National Security Legislation by amending the: Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to: require telecommunications service providers to retain and to secure for two years telecommunications data (not content); require service providers to protect retained data through encryption and preventing unauthorised interference and access; require the PJCIS to review the mandatory data retention scheme no more than three years after the end of the implementation phase; limit the range of agencies that are able to access telecommunications data and stored communications; establish a journalist information warrants regime; restrict the agencies who can access this data; require the minister to refer to the PJCIS any legislative proposal to amend which agencies can access the data; provide for record-keeping and reporting the use of, and access to, telecommunications data; and enable the Commonwealth Ombudsman to assess agency compliance; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 to provide that certain matters relating to data retention be included in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation—s (ASIO) annual report; Intelligence Services Act 2001 to enable the PJCIS to inquire into operational matters relating to the use of telecommunications data by ASIO and the Australian Federal Police, in relation to counter-terrorism functions; Telecommunications Act 1997 to prohibit civil litigants from being able to access certain telecommunications data; and Telecommunications Act 1997 and Privacy Act 1988 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 30/10/14; Passed 19/3/15
Reference: Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 27/11/14; report presented to Senate out of sitting 27/2/15; report tabled in House 2/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
CID amendments: 74 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 24/3/15; Passed 26/3/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/negatived
Committee amendments: 39 AG/negatived; 19 LDP/negatived; 13 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived; 1 PUP/negatived; 3 items opposed (AG)/items agreed to
Assent: 13/4/15; Act No. 39, 2015
Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Access Regime and NBN Companies) Bill 2015
Amends the: Telecommunications Act 1997 to clarify that the facilities access regime processes in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 have precedence over those in this Act; Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and National Transmission Network Sale Act 1998 to provide that certain access providers are to give access to in-building cabling that they own or control when the cabling is necessary for the supply of an active declared service; Competition and Consumer Act 2010 in relation to: pilots and trials of new services or technology; access determinations; notices to vary special access undertakings; fixed principles in special access undertakings; authorised conduct for competition law purposes; clarifying —declared services—; and consequential amendments; and National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011 to: provide that an NBN corporation may dispose of surplus non-communications goods; and enable NBN Co—s line of business restrictions to be changed through regulation.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Senate:
Reference (SBC report 16/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 3/12/15; report due 22/2/16
Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Act 2015)
Introduced with the Telecommunications (Industry Levy) Amendment Bill 2014, the bill: repeals the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012 to abolish the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUSMA); repeals the Telecommunications (Universal Service Levy) Act 1997 to remove the redundant universal service levy; and transfers TUSMA—s functions and contractual responsibilities to the Department of Communications; and amends the: Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012 to remove the requirement for the minister to prepare a statement of estimate of overall levy target amount; Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, Export Market Development Grants Act 1997 and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to make amendments consequential on the regulation of the supply of telephone sex services via a standard telephone service being removed from the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999; Do Not Call Register Act 2006 to enable an indefinite registration period for numbers on the register; Telecommunications Act 1997 to: remove the arrangements for the Australian Communications and Media Authority to register e-marketing industry codes; and reduce obligations on telecommunications providers to provide pre-selection; and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to: remove gazettal publishing requirements; and reduce requirements on carriage service providers in relation to customer service guarantees. Also makes consequential amendments to six Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 25/11/14
CID amendment: 1 Govt/passed
Senate: Intro. 1/12/14; Passed 25/3/15
References:
SBC report 14/14: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 30/10/14; report tabled 9/2/15
Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 10/2/15; report presented out of sitting 20/3/15
Assent: 13/4/15; Act No. 38, 2015
Telecommunications (Numbering Charges) Amendment Bill 2015
Introduced with the Communication Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015, the bill amends the Telecommunications (Numbering Charges) Act 1997 to make consequential amendments to reflect that the allocation to and holding of numbers by carriage service providers, for which charges arise under the Act, could in future be managed in accordance with an industry-based scheme.
House of Representatives: Intro. 2/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 2/12/15
Textile, Clothing and Footwear Investment and Innovation Programs Amendment Bill 2014
Amends the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Investment and Innovation Programs Act 1999 to close the Clothing and Household Textile (Building Innovative Capability) Scheme and the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Small Business Program on 30 June 2014.
House of Representatives: Intro. 29/5/14; Passed 5/6/14
Senate: Intro. 16/6/14; 2nd reading adjourned 16/6/14
PS Trade and Foreign Investment (Protecting the Public Interest) Bill 2014
(Introduced by Senator Whish-Wilson — AG)
Prevents the Commonwealth from entering into agreements with foreign countries that include investor-state dispute settlement clauses.
Senate: Intro. 5/3/14; 2nd reading adjourned 5/3/14, 30/10/14, 12/2/15
Reference (SBC report 2/14): Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 6/3/14; extension of time to report 16/6/14; report tabled 27/8/14
PM Trade Marks Amendment (Iconic Symbols of National Identity) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Mr Katter — KAP)
Amends the Trade Marks Act 1995 to: prohibit the registration of trade marks which consist of a sign which is of national significance or iconic value to the people of Australia; and provide that any trade marks that currently purport to restrict the use of a sign of national significance must be removed from the register of trade marks.
House of Representatives: Intro. 14/9/15; 2nd reading adjourned 14/9/15
Treasury Legislation Amendment (Repeal Day) Bill 2014
(Act citation: Treasury Legislation Amendment (Repeal Day) Act 2015)
Amends: the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to remove the payslip reporting requirements; 16 Acts to consolidate and remove tax provisions; the Financial Sector (Shareholdings) Act 1998 to remove the deemed shareholding applied to an associate where the associate has no direct control interest in the company; and 12 Acts to define —Australia— for income tax purposes.
House of Representatives: Intro. 22/10/14; Passed 3/12/14
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 10/2/15
Committee amendment: 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to
Assent: 25/2/15; Act No. 2, 2015
Treasury Legislation Amendment (Repeal Day 2015) Bill 2015
Amends the: Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 and Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island Reforms) Act 2015 to align the earnings base for calculating the superannuation guarantee charge (SG) with the earnings base for calculating SG contributions; Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 to align the nominal interest on unpaid or late SG contributions with the period over which they are actually outstanding; Crimes (Taxation Offences) Act 1980, Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to align the penalties imposed under the superannuation guarantee charge regime with the administrative penalties imposed by the Taxation Administration Act 1953; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995, Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 and Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 to: enable the Commissioner of Taxation to pay certain superannuation amounts directly to individuals with a terminal medical condition; and remove the requirement for superannuation funds to lodge a separate biannual lost members statement; and Corporations Act 2001 to modify the notification and reporting obligations applying to certain corporations that have property in receivership or property in respect of which a controller is acting. Also amends 10 Acts to remove redundant or spent provisions and repeals five Acts.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 12/11/15, 1/12/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/pending
Treasury Legislation Amendment (Small Business and Unfair Contract Terms) Bill 2015
Amends the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to extend the unfair contract term protections to businesses with less than 20 employees agreeing to standard form contracts valued at less than a prescribed threshold.
House of Representatives: Intro. 24/6/15; Passed 18/8/15
Senate: Intro. 18/8/15; Passed 14/9/15
Reference (SBC report 9/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 13/8/15; report tabled 14/9/15
Committee amendments: 4 AG/passed; 1 LDP/passed; 4 FFP/negatived
[House agreed to Senate amendments 20/10/15]
Assent: 12/11/15; Act No. 147, 2015
S Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2015
(Previous title: Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2014)
Amends: 12 Acts, including the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, to merge the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal into the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; and 31 Acts to make consequential amendments. Also provides for transitional arrangements.
Senate: Intro. 3/12/14; Passed 11/5/15
Reference (SBC report 1/15): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 12/2/15; report tabled 16/3/15
Committee amendments: 19 Govt/passed; 5 Opp/passed; 1 AG/passed; 4 items negatived (3 Govt; 1 Opp); 4 Opp/negatived
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/5/15; Passed 13/5/15
Assent: 26/5/15; Act No. 60, 2015
Veterans— Affairs Legislation Amendment (2015 Budget Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the: Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 in relation to the Veterans— Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme to: include medical management and psychosocial services in the scheme; and make changes to the intermediate and special rate disability pensions; Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to provide for a single appeal path for the review of original determinations made under the Act; and Defence Act 1903 to expand the war graves regulation making power to include graves of service dependants buried in Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia.
House of Representatives: Intro. 25/6/15; Passed 20/8/15
Senate: Intro. 20/8/15; Passed 30/11/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 Govt/passed (reference to committee—see below)
Reference: Schedule 2 of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 7/9/15; report presented out of sitting 25/9/15
Committee amendments: 2 Govt/passed; 1 Schedule negatived (Govt)
[House agreed to Senate amendments 1/12/15]
Assent: 11/12/15; Act No. 174, 2015
Veterans— Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2013
see also Veterans— Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2013
Amends the War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920 to: amend the short title of the Act to the Protection of Word —Anzac— Act 1920; amend the long title of the Act; and remove redundant provisions.
House of Representatives: Intro. 12/11/13; Read a 1st time 12/11/13
PS Veterans— Entitlements Amendment (Expanded Gold Card Access) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Lambie — Ind)
Amends the Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to provide that all veterans, including former members of the Defence Force and members of a peacekeeping force, who have served in war or war-like operations, are eligible for medical treatment, regardless of whether the condition or injury was caused by war or contracted during war or war-like operations.
Senate: Intro. 11/11/15; 2nd reading adjourned 11/11/15
PS Voice for Animals (Independent Office of Animal Welfare) Bill 2015
(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon — AG)
The bill: establishes the Office of Animal Welfare as an independent statutory authority with responsibility for advising on the protection of animal welfare in Commonwealth regulated activities; provides for the functions, appointment, and terms and conditions of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO); provides for staff and consultants; establishes the Office of Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to advise the CEO; and provides for reporting requirements.
Senate: Intro. 23/6/15; 2nd reading adjourned 23/6/15
Reference (SBC report 8/15): Bill referred to Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 25/6/15; extension of time to report 18/8/15; report tabled 15/10/15
Water Amendment Bill 2015
Amends the: Water Act 2007 to impose a duty on the Commonwealth not to exceed the 1500 gigalitre limit on surface water purchases in the Murray-Darling Basin at the time of entering into a water purchase contract; and Basin Plan 2012 to provide flexibility in the recovery of 450 gigalitres of water for the environment through efficiency measures funded under the Water for the Environment Special Account.
House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/15; Passed 9/9/15
Senate: Intro. 9/9/15; Passed 14/9/15
Reference (SBC report 6/15): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 16/6/15; report tabled 8/9/15
2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/passed
Committee amendments: 2 LDP/negatived
Assent: 13/10/15; Act No. 133, 2015
Water Amendment (Review Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2015
Amends the Water Act 2007 in relation to: reviews and reporting requirements for the Basin Plan; accreditation of first generation state water resource plans with further accreditations linked to Basin Plan review outcomes; incorporation of Indigenous expertise and knowledge in the governance of the basin—s water resources; trading by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder; the redundancy of the Murray-Darling Basin Water Rights Information Service; and technical and consequential amendments.
House of Representatives: Intro. 3/12/15; 2nd reading adjourned 3/12/15