Senate Bills List

Bills and related material can be accessed at http://www.aph.gov.au/bills

Committee reports can be accessed at http://www.aph.gov.au/committees

As at cob 30 March 2013

Abbreviations

AG Australian Greens

CLP Country Liberal Party [Opp]

DLP Democratic Labor Party

FFP Family First Party

Ind Independent

KAP Katter—€™s Australian Party

LP Liberal Party of Australia [Opp]

Nats The Nationals [Opp]

CID Consideration in detail stage (House of Representatives)

ED Exposure draft

PM Private member—€™s bill

PS Private senator—€™s bill

R Restored to Notice Paper

S Senate bill

SBC Senate Selection of Bills Committee

SC House of Representatives Selection Committee

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Bill 2012

(Act citation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013)

The bill: provides for the recognition by the Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; requires the minister to cause a review of support for a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution; requires the minister to present a report of the review to Parliament; and ceases to have effect two years after its commencement.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 13/2/13

Reference (see item 15, Votes and Proceedings 27/11/12): Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 28/11/12; report presented to Senate out of sitting 30/1/13 and tabled 5/2/13; report tabled in House 5/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 12/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 18, 2013

Aboriginal Land Rights and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the: Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 to: enable the town of Jabiru and two adjacent portions of Northern Territory land to be granted as Aboriginal land to the Kakadu Aboriginal Land Trust; and enable Northern Territory Portion 7021 in Patta to also be granted as Aboriginal land; and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: provide that world heritage, natural and cultural values of Kakadu National Park continue to be protected in relation to Jabiru; and amend existing management plan and town plan requirements for development of towns in Commonwealth reserves.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 25/6/13

Aged Care (Bond Security) Amendment Bill 2013

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the Living Longer Living Better aged care package, the bill amends the Aged Care (Bond Security) Act 2006 to: amend the long and short titles of the Act; and extend the Accommodation Bond Guarantee Scheme to refundable accommodation deposits and refundable accommodation contributions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Aged Care (Bond Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2013

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the Living Longer Living Better aged care package, the bill amends the Aged Care (Bond Security) Levy Act 2006 to: amend the long and short titles of the Act; and enable a levy to be imposed on approved providers for the costs incurred by the Commonwealth in refunding refundable accommodation deposit balances and refundable accommodation contribution balances.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Aged Care (Living Longer Living Better) Bill 2013

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the Living Longer Living Better aged care package, the bill amends: the Aged Care Act 1997 to: remove the distinction between low level and high level residential care; provide for a means test combining income and assets tests and annual and lifetime caps on means tested care fees; provide for a dementia supplement, veterans—€™ mental health supplement and workforce supplement to be payable to providers who care for eligible care recipients; enable care recipients to choose the method by which they pay for accommodation, including by a fully refundable lump sum, a rental style periodic payment, or a combination of both; replace community care and some forms of care delivered in a person—€™s home with home care; extend the community visitors scheme to people in home care; appoint and provide for the functions of an Aged Care Pricing Commissioner; require the commissioner to prepare an annual report; and provide that an independent review of this package is undertaken and provided to the minister by 1 July 2017; and eight Acts to make consequential and technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment Bill 2012

Amends the: Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 to: require the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to implement the Agvet Code having regard to certain principles; provide for the APVMA to develop, publish and have regard to guidelines (the risk compendium) when exercising powers and performing functions under the code; implement a mandatory scheme for the re-approval of active constituents and re-registration of chemical products to periodically review active constituents and products; enable consistent data protection; and remove disincentives for industry to generate and provide data; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992 and Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 to: provide the APVMA with a graduated range of compliance and enforcement powers; and provide for a power to apply statutory conditions to registration and approvals; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994 to enable any Commonwealth agency to collect the levy on product sales on behalf of the APVMA; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992 to require a review at least every 10 years of all Commonwealth agricultural and veterinary chemicals legislation; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994 and Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 to provide that legislative instruments remain subject to disallowance with two exceptions; and Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992 and Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 to remove redundant provisions and amend out of date provisions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12, 18/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to House Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry Committee; report tabled 12/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report tabled 27/2/13

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2012

(Act citation: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2013)

Amends the: Wine Australia Corporation Act 1980 to: reduce the record keeping requirements of persons, or their agents, who supply or receive wine goods that are packaged for sale to a consumer; and provide that a vintage year occurs between 1 September and 31 August; Fisheries Management Act 1991 to: make compliance with a direction to close a fishery a condition on all types of statutory fishing concessions; and make technical amendments; Fisheries Administration Act 1991 to enable co-management arrangements to be implemented; Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 to enable the secretary to remit all or part of a penalty imposed for the late payment of a levy or charge; and Farm Household Support Act 1992 to remove specific references to departments and secretaries. Also: makes technical amendments to the Export Control Act 1982, Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 and Quarantine Act 1908; and repeals the States Grants (War Service Land Settlement) Act 1952.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/12; Passed 10/5/12

Senate: Intro. 18/6/12; Passed 13/3/13

SBC report 4/12 (tabled and adopted 22/3/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report tabled 18/6/12

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 17, 2013

PS Air Navigation and Civil Aviation Amendment (Aircraft Crew) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Air Navigation Act 1920 and Civil Aviation Act 1988 to provide that an Australian airline, or a subsidiary of an Australian airline, is not issued an international aviation licence unless it provides the same wages and conditions to overseas-based flight and cabin crew operating its flights as if they were directly employed by the airline.

Senate: Intro. 17/8/11; 2nd reading adjourned 17/8/11, 10/5/12

SBC report 10/11 (tabled and adopted 18/8/11): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 21/11/11, 29/2/12, 14/3/12; report tabled 22/3/12

PS Alcohol Toll Reduction Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

Amends the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to: establish the Responsible Advertising of Alcohol Division within the Australian Communications and Media Authority to monitor the advertising of alcohol; limit the times at which alcohol products are advertised on radio and television and impose a penalty for breaches; and provide for labelling standards for alcohol products.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Anti-Money Laundering Amendment (Gaming Machine Venues) Bill 2012

(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

SBC report 15/12 (tabled and adopted 20/11/12): No reference

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 due 28/6/13

PS Anti-Terrorism Laws Reform Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: insert a new definition of —€˜terrorist act—€™; remove the offences of —€˜reckless possession of a thing—€™, sedition, and associating with a terrorist organisation; amend the reference to —€˜fostering the doing of—€™ a terrorist act in the definition of —€˜terrorist organisation—€™; provide for terrorist organisations to be prescribed in regulations; and amend the —€˜supporting—€™ offence; Crimes Act 1914 to: remove —€˜investigative dead time—€™ from the calculation of dead time; and remove the presumption against bail for certain offences; and Australian Security Information Organisation Act 1979 in relation to the questioning and detention of terrorism suspects. Also repeals the National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2012-2013

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) 2012-2013.

House of Representatives: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 14/2/13

Senate Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 18/3/13

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 21, 2013

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2012-2013

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) 2012-2013.

House of Representatives: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 14/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 18/3/13

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 22, 2013

Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Bill 2013

The bill: establishes the independent statutory office of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency; provides for the functions, appointment, terms and conditions of appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency, and enables the CEO to appoint committees; provides for staff and consultants; establishes the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Council to provide advice to the CEO and the minister as required; provides for the agency—€™s reporting requirements; requires a review of the agency to be undertaken after five years; and requires the minister to present a report of the review to Parliament.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

PS Assisting Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Brandis —€“ LP)

Establishes a framework to provide financial assistance to persons or their next of kin who are injured or killed as a result of an international terrorist act.

Senate: Intro. 1/3/12; 2nd reading adjourned 1/3/12, 15/3/12, 22/3/12

SBC report 2/12 (tabled and adopted 1/3/12): No reference

SBC report 4/12 (tabled and adopted 22/3/12): Order varied: Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 10/5/12

2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/pending

Australia Council Bill 2013

Introduced with the Australia Council (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, the bill: provides for the functions, powers and governance structure and arrangements of the Australia Council; establishes a governing board and provides for the terms and conditions of appointed board members, procedures of the board, and enables the board to establish committees; provides for the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer and staff and consultants; requires an annual corporate plan to be prepared; provides for financial arrangements; and provides for annual reporting requirements.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Climate Change, Environment and the Arts Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report due 9/5/13

Australia Council (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Australia Council Bill 2013, the bill: repeals the Australia Council Act 1975; and enables the Australia Council to continue to operate during the transition period.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Climate Change, Environment and the Arts Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report due 9/5/13

Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Bill 2013

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the Living Longer Living Better aged care package, the bill: establishes the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency to replace the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency from 1 January 2014; provides for the functions, powers, appointment, and terms and conditions of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Quality Agency; provides for staff and consultants; establishes the Aged Care Quality Advisory Council to advise the CEO; requires the Quality Agency to develop strategic and operational development plans; provides for the Quality Agency—€™s reporting requirements; and provides for the use and disclosure of protected information by the Quality Agency.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013

Part of a package of five bills in relation to the Living Longer Living Better aged care package, the bill enables the transition of the functions of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Limited to the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency from 1 January 2014 by providing for the transfer of: assets and liabilities; the custody of records of documents; and office holders and staff.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

PS Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (International Broadcasting Services) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to provide that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the sole provider of Commonwealth funded international broadcasting services.

Senate: Intro. 10/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 10/11/11

SBC report 1/12 (tabled and adopted 9/2/12): No reference

Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 to enable the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly to determine the size of the Assembly with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the members of the Assembly.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 12/3/13

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 21/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 28, 2013

PM Australian Citizenship Amendment (Defence Service Requirement) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Robert —€“ LP)

Amends the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to ensure that spouses and dependent children of eligible Australian Defence Force (ADF) lateral transfer members (persons who have served in another nation—€™s armed forces and have migrated to Australia to join the ADF) are eligible for citizenship at the same time as the ADF lateral transfer member.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/5/12; Removed from Notice Paper 12/2/13

Australian Education Bill 2012

The bill: establishes three goals for Australian schooling, namely: for Australian schooling to provide an excellent education for all students; for Australian schooling to be highly equitable; and for Australia to be placed in the top five countries in reading, science and mathematics, quality and equity in recognised international testing by 2025; and commits the Commonwealth to work collaboratively with states, territories, the non-government sector and other partners to meet these goals through developing and implementing a national plan for school improvement and needs-based funding arrangements.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12, 12/2/13, 13/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to House Education and Employment Committee

2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/pending

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; report tabled 13/3/13

ED Australian Jobs Bill 2013

Proposes to: provide for Australian Industry Participation plans; establish the Australian Industry Participation Authority; and enable the minister to establish the Australian Industry Participation Advisory Board.

Senate: Exposure draft tabled 20/3/13

Reference: Exposure draft referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 21/3/13; report due 14/5/13

S Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the: Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Act 2006 to: provide the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) Chief Executive Officer or their delegate with the power to issue a disclosure notice to compel persons to attend an interview with an investigator and to produce information and documents or things relevant to the administration of the National Anti-Doping Scheme; impose penalties for failing to comply with a disclosure notice; clarify the role of the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel; provide that conflict of interest provisions apply to matters relating to activities of the panel or the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee; and clarify that the eight year statute of limitations specified in the World Anti-Doping Code applies in Australia—€™s anti-doping arrangements; and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Act 2006 and Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 to enable Australia Post to share information with ASADA.

Senate: Intro. 6/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 6/2/13

SBC report 1/13 (tabled and adopted 7/2/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report tabled 12/3/13

PM Aviation Laws Amendment (Australian Ownership and Operation) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Amends the Air Navigation Act 1920 and Civil Aviation Act 1988 to provide that Australian international and domestic air services are Australian owned and operated, that is, at least 51 per cent owned by Australian citizens or residents, at least 80 per cent of the operator—€™s aircraft maintenance is carried out in Australia, and with aircrews comprised only of persons domiciled in Australia.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Read a 1st time 11/2/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Inbound Cargo Security Enhancement) Bill 2013

Amends the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 to: enable the minister to prohibit the carriage of certain air cargo into Australian territory on an aircraft; and make a technical amendment.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

PM Banking Amendment (Banking Code of Conduct) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Amends the Banking Act 1959 to provide for: the minister to make, by legislative instrument, a mandatory Banking Code of Conduct stipulating standards to be complied with by authorised deposit-taking institutions when dealing with their customers; the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to accept and investigate complaints by bank customers and to name banks found to be non-compliant; amendments to the code to be made after consultation; and a three-yearly review of the code.

House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/12; Read a 1st time 10/9/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

PS Banking Amendment (Controls on Variable Interest Rate Changes) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Banking Act 1959 to require authorised deposit-taking institutions for a 24-month period to: not increase variable interest rate loans and mortgages by more than the Reserve Bank interest rate increases; and not decrease variable interest rate loans and mortgages by less than the Reserve Bank interest rate decreases.

Senate: Intro. 18/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 18/11/10

SBC report 15/10 (tabled and adopted 26/11/10): No reference

PS Banking Amendment (Delivering Essential Financial Services) Bill 2010 (No. 2)

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Banking Act 1959 to: require banks to offer basic transaction accounts and to limit other fees to cost recovery; provide that transactions at a bank—€™s own-branded ATMs are free of charge; cap charges for the use of a bank—€™s ATMs by customers of another authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI); require ADIs to offer fixed interest gap loans and mortgages; cap mortgage and loan exit fees at cost recovery; and require uniform identification of exit fees in advertising and in mortgage and loan contracts.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 12/10 (tabled and adopted 27/10/10): No reference

PS Bankruptcy Amendment (Exceptional Circumstances Exit Package) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Bankruptcy Regulations 1996 to provide that payments made under the Exceptional Circumstances Exit Package on or after 1 July 2010 are exempt from bankruptcy proceedings where a final order in bankruptcy has not been finalised by the courts or the debts paid.

Senate: Intro. 5/7/11; 2nd reading adjourned 5/7/11

SBC report 9/11 (tabled and adopted 7/7/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 21/9/11

S Biosecurity Bill 2012 [2013]

Introduced with the Inspector-General of Biosecurity Bill 2012 [2013], the bill responds to the Nairn and Beale reviews by providing for a modern 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, risks related to ballast water, biosecurity emergencies and human biosecurity emergencies; and give effect to Australia—€™s international rights and obligations, including the World Health Organization—€™s International Health Regulations and Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Senate: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; interim report presented out of sitting 12/2/13 and tabled 25/2/13; extension of time for final report 26/2/13; final report due 24/6/13

PS Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Anti-Siphoning) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to provide that a notice to amend the anti-siphoning list does not come into effect until the expiration of six sitting days of each House of Parliament after the notice is tabled in that House; and Broadcasting Services (Events) Notice (No. 1) 2004 to remove the expiry date from the current anti-siphoning list.

Senate: Intro. 23/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/10

SBC report 15/10 (tabled and adopted 26/11/10): No reference

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: provide that no additional commercial television broadcasting licences will be made available to enable a fourth commercial television network; impose an Australian content transmission quota on commercial television broadcasting licensees; enable Australian content sub-quotas to be satisfied by any transmission by a licensee; provide that one hour of a first release Australian drama program counts as two hours for the purposes of a transmission quota; enable the minister to direct the Australian Communications and Media Authority in relation to its program standards making powers; and remove the requirement for a review of content and captioning rules applicable to multi-channelled television broadcasting services; Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to: include digital media services in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation—€™s (ABC) charter; prohibit certain advertising on the ABC—€™s digital media services; and provide that the ABC or its prescribed companies are the only providers of Commonwealth-funded international broadcasting services; and Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to: require the minister to have regard to the need to ensure that at least one of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) non-executive directors is an Indigenous person; and include digital media services in SBS—€™s charter.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Passed 19/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

CID amendments: 2 Opp/negatived; 2 AG/negatived

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

Committee amendments: 2 AG/negatived; 1 item opposed (Opp)/item agreed to; 1 Ind (Xenophon)/withdrawn

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 29, 2013

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Dividend) Bill 2013

Amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: provide that a designated datacasting service is a datacasting service provided by a commercial television broadcasting licensee, a commercial radio broadcasting licensee or a national broadcaster, or is of a kind specified by the minister; and generally require that providers of designated datacasting services hold datacasting licences; Radiocommunications Act 1992 to require the minister to direct the Australian Communications and Media Authority to review and report on the provision of spectrum for low interference potential device class licenses and provide a transition pathway for such licences by 30 July 2013; and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and Radiocommunications Act 1992 to make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 18/3/13

SC report no. 76 (tabled 13/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; report tabled 18/3/13

CID amendments: 2 Opp/passed

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill amends the: Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to provide certain information to the Public Interest Media Advocate; and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: provide for a public interest test, administered by the Public Interest Media Advocate, to apply to transactions between registered news media voices of national significance; and establish the Register of News Media Voices to be administered by the ACMA.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Discharged from Notice Paper 21/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

S Broadcasting Services Amendment (Anti-siphoning) Bill 2012 [2013]

Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 in relation to free-to-air television coverage of anti-siphoning events by: restricting the acquisition of rights to televise anti-siphoning events by subscription television licensees; restricting the conferral of online coverage rights on content service providers; imposing coverage obligations on free-to-air broadcasting (anti-hoarding rules); imposing notification requirements concerning the acquisition and cessation of rights to televise anti-siphoning events, or entitlements to confer such rights, on commercial television broadcasting licensees, national broadcasters and their program suppliers; and requiring the minister to cause a review of anti-siphoning before 31 December 2014.

Senate: Intro. 22/3/12; 2nd reading adjourned 22/3/12, 12/9/12

SBC report 4/12 (tabled and adopted 22/3/12): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report presented out of sitting 4/5/12 and tabled 10/5/12

2nd reading amendment: 1 AG/pending

PS Broadcasting Services Amendment (Material of Local Significance) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Broadcasting Act Services Act 1992 to include regional South Australia in the areas to which regional aggregated commercial television broadcasting licences apply so that specific local content requirements are met.

Senate: Intro. 12/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 12/3/13

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 13/3/13; report due 30/4/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Committee noted reference (see above)

PS Broadcasting Services Amendment (Public Interest Test) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority to apply a public interest test to changes in the control of certain media operations on or after 28 June 2012.

Senate: Intro. 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12); 2nd reading adjourned 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12)

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): No reference

PS Building and Construction Industry (Restoring Workplace Rights) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Repeals the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act 2005 and Building and Construction Industry Improvement (Consequential and Transitional) Act 2005.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Carbon Tax Plebiscite Bill 2011 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Senator Abetz —€“ LP)

The bill: provides for a national plebiscite to be held by 26 November 2011 to ascertain whether the electorate supports the introduction of a price on carbon; requires the Electoral Commissioner to provide the minister with a statement of the results of the plebiscite; and requires the minister to table the statement in both Houses of Parliament.

Senate: Intro. 21/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 21/6/11, 7/7/11, 15/9/11

SBC report 8/11 (tabled and adopted 23/6/11): No reference

PS Choice of Repairer Bill 2010

R (Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

Requires motor vehicle manufacturers to provide access to information and diagnostic tools to the vehicle repair, servicing, replacement parts and accessories sectors.

Senate: Intro. 24/6/10; 2nd reading adjourned 24/6/10

SBC report 10/10 (tabled and adopted 24/6/10): Consideration deferred

Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 30/9/10

PS Citizen Initiated Referendum Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Madigan —€“ DLP)

Enables Australian citizens to initiate legislation that provides for the holding of a referendum to alter the Constitution by: setting out the process to be followed and the requirements to be met; providing for rules applicable to the holding of a citizen initiated referendum; setting the first referendum year as 2016 and every fourth year after that; and providing for related miscellaneous matters.

Senate: Intro. 12/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 12/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report due 24/6/13

Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Online Games) Bill 2011

Amends the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to remove the requirement for certain mobile phone and online games to be classified for two years while the Australian Law Reform Commission undertakes a review of the National Classification Scheme.

House of Representatives: Intro. 12/10/11; Passed 2/11/11

Senate: Intro. 3/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 3/11/11

SBC report 15/11 (tabled and adopted 3/11/11): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 9/2/12

PS Commonwealth Electoral (Above-the-Line Voting) Amendment Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to repeal provisions relating to group voting tickets and provide for preferential above-the-line voting for Senate elections.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Political Donations and Other Measures) Bill 2010

Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: reduce the disclosure threshold to $1000; require certain persons making gifts at or above the threshold to furnish returns within specified time periods; ensure that for the purposes of the threshold related political parties are treated as one entity; prohibit the receipt of a gift of foreign property and certain anonymous gifts by registered political parties, candidates and members of a Senate group; provide that public funding of election campaigning is limited to the lesser amount of either the actual electoral expenditure or the amount awarded per vote where the four per cent threshold is satisfied; include five additional categories of electoral expenditure in relation to the rental of premises, payment of additional staff, purchase and hire of office equipment, consumables and running costs for equipment and travel and accommodation; prevent sitting members of Parliament from claiming electoral expenditure if allowances, entitlements or benefits received are used to meet that expenditure; extend existing recovery powers; and introduce new offences and penalties and increase penalties for existing offences.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/10/10; Passed 17/11/10

SC report no. 3 (tabled 21/10/10): No reference

Senate: Intro. 17/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 17/11/10

SBC report 12/10 (tabled and adopted 27/10/10): No reference

PS Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Tobacco Industry Donations) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to create offences to prohibit political parties or candidates from receiving donations from manufacturers or wholesalers of tobacco products.

Senate: Intro. 15/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 15/6/11

SBC report 8/11 (tabled and adopted 23/6/11): No reference

PS Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management (Repeal and Consequential Amendment) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Repeals the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005 and makes a consequential amendment to the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PM Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Food Labelling) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to: create specific requirements for country of original labelling for food; provide that the labelling is based on the ingoing weight of the ingredients and components; and create penalties and defences; and Imported Food Control Act 1992 to make a consequential amendment.

House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/12; Read a 1st time 17/9/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 66 (tabled 20/9/12): Bill referred to House Economics Committee

PS Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Food Labelling) Bill 2012 (No. 2)

(Introduced by Senator Milne —€“ AG)

Amends the: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to: create specific requirements for country of original labelling for food; provide that the labelling is based on the ingoing weight of the ingredients and components; and create penalties and defences; and Imported Food Control Act 1992 to make a consequential amendment.

Senate: Intro. 17/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 17/9/12

SBC report 12/12 (tabled and adopted 20/9/12): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/11/12; report presented out of sitting 25/3/13

Completion of Kakadu National Park (Koongarra Project Area Repeal) Bill 2013

Repeals the Koongarra Project Area Act 1981 as part of the process to incorporate the Koongarra area into Kakadu National Park.

House of Representatives: Intro. 6/2/13; Passed 13/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 14/3/13

SBC report 1/13 (tabled and adopted 7/2/13): No reference

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 31, 2013

PS Constitutional Corporations (Farm Gate to Plate) Bill 2011 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

The bill: requires certain constitutional corporations (primarily grocery retailers) to display the producer price of fruit and vegetable produce; and imposes penalties for breaching the requirement.

Senate: Intro. 13/9/11; 2nd reading adjourned 13/9/11

SBC report 12/11 (tabled and adopted 15/9/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 25/11/11

PS Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Fees) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the: National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 to provide that: credit fees or charges relating to credit contracts must be reasonable; and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission may apply for a court order to annul or reduce a credit fee or charge it determines not to be reasonable; and Banking Act 1959 to require the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to prohibit banks with a market share of more than 10 per cent from imposing early termination fees in relation to loan agreements or mortgage contracts.

Senate: Intro. 21/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 21/6/11

SBC report 9/11 (tabled and adopted 7/7/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 14/9/11

Corporations Amendment (Simple Corporate Bonds and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Amends the Corporations Act 2001 to: require body corporates to issue a two-part simple corporate bonds prospectus when certain bond issuances occur; enable simple corporate bonds to be traded using simple retail corporate bonds depository interests; provide that directors have liability for any misinformation in a disclosure document in certain circumstances; and provide that the use of the terms —€˜financial planner—€™ and —€˜financial adviser—€™ are restricted to those with licences to provide advice on designated financial products.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Corporations and Financial Sector Legislation Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the: Payments Systems and Netting Act 1998 to provide that client positions and associated collateral of a defaulting participant in a clearing facility may be ported to another solvent participant despite legislative impediments; Corporations Act 2001 to: enable the Australian Securities Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to determine how often they assess compliance by particular Australian market licence and clearing and settlement facility licence holders with their legal obligations; and make consequential amendments; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to: extend the powers of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services to inquire into and report on the operation of any foreign business law which may affect the operation of the corporations law; require ASIC to report annually on the use of its information gathering powers and on additional information if required by the minister; and make consequential amendments; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Mutual Assistance in Business Regulation Act 1992 to authorise ASIC to disclose protected information to international business regulators; Reserve Bank 1959 to enable the RBA to disclose protected information to external persons and bodies; and Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 and Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011 to enable the Clean Energy Regulator to share protected information with licensed and prescribed trade repositories.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Court Security Bill 2013

Introduced with the Court Security (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013, the bill enables all federal courts, the Family Court of Western Australia and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to manage security issues by: allowing them to appoint persons as security officers and authorised courts officers; prescribing powers that security officers are able to exercise; prescribing offences; enabling judicial officers of court exercising family law jurisdiction to make restraining or protective type orders in certain circumstances; providing for immunity from suit of security officers; providing for compensation for damage to certain devices or data; and enabling the delegation of certain powers and functions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Court Security (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Court Security Bill 2013, the bill amends the Public Order (Protection of Persons and Property) Act 1971 to remove provisions which overlap with the proposed Court Security Act 2013.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Courts and Tribunals Legislation Amendment (Administration) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Courts and Tribunals Legislation Amendment (Administration) Act 2013)

Amends the: Native Title Act 1993 to: enable the transfer of the National Native Title Tribunal—€™s appropriations, staff and some of its administrative functions to the Federal Court of Australia; and provide that the tribunal is no longer a statutory agency for the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and the Public Service Act 1999; Family Law Act 1975 and Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 to enable the merger of the administrative functions of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia, including by establishing a single Chief Executive Officer position for both courts; and Ombudsman Act 1976 to make a consequential amendment.

House of Representatives: Intro. 31/10/12; Passed 12/2/13

SC report no. 72 (tabled 1/11/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; report tabled 11/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/11/12; report tabled 25/2/13

Assent: 12/3/13; Act No. 7, 2013

PS Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Crimes Act 1914 to define timeframes and set up evidentiary procedures for age determination and prosecution of non-citizens who are suspected or accused of people smuggling offences under the Migration Act 1958 who may have been minors at the time the offences were allegedly committed.

Senate: Intro. 23/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/11

SBC report 17/11 (tabled and adopted 25/11/11): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 28/2/12; report presented out of sitting 4/4/12 and tabled 10/5/12

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Organised Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2012

Amends the: Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to respond to recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement report Inquiry into Commonwealth unexplained wealth legislation and arrangements by: ensuring that evidence relevant to unexplained wealth proceedings can be seized under a search warrant; 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; and Criminal Code Act 1995 to: provide that cross-border firearms trafficking offences cover firearm parts; introduce aggravated offences for dealing in 50 or more firearms and firearm parts; increase the penalties for illegal importation or exportation of larger numbers of firearms; and introduce aggravated offences for importing or exporting 50 or more firearms or firearm parts during a six month period.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 5/2/13

Senate: Intro. 6/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 6/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 13/3/13

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Slavery, Slavery-like Conditions and People Trafficking) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Slavery, Slavery-like Conditions and People Trafficking) Act 2013)

Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: insert offences of forced labour, forced marriage, organ trafficking and harbouring a victim; ensure the slavery offence applies to conduct which renders a person a slave, as well as conduct involving a person who is already a slave; extend the application of existing offences of deceptive recruiting and sexual servitude to non-sexual servitude and all forms of deceptive recruiting; increase penalties for debt bondage offences; broaden the definition of exploitation to include all slavery-like practices; and amend existing definitions to provide that the broadest range of exploitative conduct is criminalised; Crimes Act 1914 to increase the availability of reparation orders to individual victims of Commonwealth offences; and Crimes Act 1914, Migration Act 1958, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 30/5/12; Passed 22/8/12

SC report no. 55 (tabled 31/5/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 28/6/12

Senate: Intro. 22/8/12; Passed 27/2/13

SBC report 6/12 (tabled and adopted 19/6/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 13/9/12

Committee amendments: 5 Opp/negatived; 4 DLP/negatived

Assent: 7/3/13; Act No. 6, 2013

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 18 years of age for the purposes of encouraging a physical meeting, or with the intention of committing an offence; and impose penalties.

Senate: Intro. 26/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 26/2/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 27/6/13

PS Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends Part XVB of the Customs Act 1901 to: provide that the importer of goods which are subject to anti-dumping applications bears the onus of proof to prove that the goods have not been dumped or subsidised for export into Australia; provide a presumption that where dumping and material injury have been proven, the material injury is the result of the dumping; enable new or updated information to be provided at various stages; allow supporting evidence for an application for dumping to be provided 90 days prior; enable preliminary affirmative decisions to be initiated once an investigation is started; allow consultation with industry experts as part of the investigation and review processes; and enable decisions to be referred to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for appeal. Also provides for an independent review of the first two years of the operation of the amended Part.

Senate: Intro. 2/3/11; 2nd reading adjourned 2/3/11

SBC report 2/11 (tabled and adopted 3/3/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 22/6/11

Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping Commission) Bill 2013

Amends the: Customs Act 1901 to: establish the Anti-Dumping Commission within the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service; and confer on the commissioner powers in relation to anti-dumping matters; and Customs Administration Act 1985, Criminal Code Act 1995 and Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 to make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 6/2/13; Passed 14/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 14/3/13

SBC report 1/13 (tabled and adopted 7/2/13): No reference

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 32, 2013

Customs Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Customs Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2013)

Amends the: Customs Act 1901 to: make it an offence to bring into Australia without a permit, certain prohibited imports to be known as restricted goods; and make technical amendments in relation to the: entry of ships or aircraft for home consumption or warehousing; valuation of imported goods; designation of customs controlled areas; provision of information prior to the grant of a warehouse licence; notification of particulars of cargo reporters; and removal of references to the expired moratorium periods for electronic cargo reporting; and A New Tax System (Wine Equalisation Tax) Act 1999, Customs Act 1901 and Import Processing Charges Act 2001 to remove provisions which established the accredited client program.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 14/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 13/3/13

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 33, 2013

PM Customs Amendment (Prohibition of Certain Coal Exports) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Thomson —€“ Ind)

Amends the Customs Act 1901 to: prohibit the export of coal mined in the water catchment valleys and district of the Wyong Shire Council; and enable the minister to prohibit the export of coal mined in other areas.

House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/13; Read a 1st time 18/3/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

Customs and AusCheck Legislation Amendment (Organised Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Amends the: Customs Act 1901 to: place obligations on cargo terminal operators and handlers that load and unload cargo; create new offences for using information from the Integrated Cargo System to aid a criminal organisation; enable the Chief Executive Officer of Customs and Border Protection to consider the refusal, suspension or cancellation of aviation and maritime security identification cards; align aspects of the customs broker licensing scheme with that of depots and warehouses; and adjust controls and sanctions; AusCheck Act 2007 to enable the secretary to suspend, or suspend processing of an application for, an aviation or maritime security identification card; and Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 to provide that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy President and Chair of Committees of the Senate are eligible for appointment to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Consideration deferred

Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill 2013

Amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to incorporate five technical alterations into the customs tariff that were contained in Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 1) 2013.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Consideration deferred

PM Dairy Industry (Drinking Milk) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Provides for: the registration of dairy regional representative bodies; Fair Work Australia to determine a modern award for dairy farmers (including the objective of providing a fair minimum return to dairy farmers for producing drinking milk); dairy farmers and processors to establish enterprise agreements; and collective negotiations.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Read a 1st time 11/2/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

PS Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2010 [No. 2]

(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.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10, 7/7/11

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Drink Container Recycling Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

The bill: requires producers, distributors and industry groups to submit to the minister a beverage container stewardship plan to manage the collection and recycling of beverage containers; sets minimum recovery rates for containers; requires public consultation on draft plans; and provides for annual reporting.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Improving Electoral Administration) Bill 2013

(Previous title: Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Improving Electoral Administration) Bill 2012)

In response to certain recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters report The 2010 federal election: report on the conduct of the election and related matters, the bill amends the: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: provide for further fixed periods of time to be provided to the augmented Electoral Commission to complete its inquiries into objections against proposed redistribution of electoral boundaries; remove the requirement for a minimum font size for authorisation details on how-to-vote cards; and not require a silent voter to re-apply to be treated as a silent voter when changing address; Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: establish procedures to be taken when a ballot-box is opened prematurely; create an offence for electoral officers who unlawfully interfere with ballot-boxes or papers; remove the requirement for an applicant for a pre-poll ordinary vote to complete and sign a certificate; provide that pre-poll voting offices will open on the fourth day after nominations close; and provide that applications for postal votes must be received on the Wednesday three days before polling day; and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to allow the Australian Taxation Office to disclose protected information to the Electoral Commissioner.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 13/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters; report tabled in Senate 27/2/13 and House 12/3/13

CID amendments: 14 Govt/passed; 14 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 14/3/13; Passed 18/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Committee amendments: 6 Opp/negatived; 36 items opposed (Opp)/items agreed to

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 26, 2013

Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Improving Electoral Procedure) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Improving Electoral Procedure) Act 2013)

Amends the: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: remove the prescription relating to how postal votes are processed and facilitate technological developments over time; and make technical amendments; and Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: increase to $1000 and $2000, respectively, the nomination deposit that must be paid by or on behalf of candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate; increase to 100 the number of electors required to nominate an unendorsed candidate; and require unendorsed Senate candidates, who have made a request to be grouped, to each be nominated by 100 unique electors.

House of Representatives: Intro. 27/6/12; Passed 23/8/12

SC report no. 59 (tabled 28/6/12): Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters; report tabled in House and Senate 16/8/12

CID amendments: 2 Govt/passed

Senate: Intro. 10/9/12; Passed 25/2/13

SBC report 8/12 (tabled and adopted 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12)): No reference

Committee amendments: 1 DLP/negatived; 1 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived; 1 Schedule opposed (AG)/Schedule agreed to

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 19, 2013

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: create a matter of national environmental significance for coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which are likely to have a significant impact on a water resource; and establish penalties and offences to prohibit such action.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13, 20/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Climate Change, Environment and the Arts Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Oakeshott)/withdrawn

CID amendments: 6 Govt/passed; 2 Ind (Windsor)/passed

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Emergency Listings) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Waters —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to provide for the emergency listing of threatened species and ecological communities where they are at risk from a significant and imminent threat.

Senate: Intro. 13/10/11; 2nd reading adjourned 13/10/11

SBC report 16/11 (tabled and adopted 10/11/11): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 22/11/11; report tabled 1/3/12

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Waters —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: prohibit developments within and outside existing port areas along the Great Barrier Reef coastline; implement a moratorium from 20 March 2013 on approval of developments impacting on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area until a strategic assessment is completed and deemed adequate by the World Heritage Committee; and prohibit approval of any developments that do not deliver a net benefit to the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area.

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report due 16/5/13

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Making Marine Parks Accountable) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Colbeck —€“ LP)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: require the minister, before the Governor-General declares an area of sea or an area of land and sea as a Commonwealth reserve, to establish an independent scientific reference panel, a stakeholder advisory group and to commission an independent assessment of social and economic impacts of any proposal, including any relevant compensation costing; require the minister to publish the reports of the scientific reference panel and the stakeholder advisory group; and provide that a Commonwealth reserve declaration be subject to disallowance.

Senate: Intro. 13/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 13/9/12, 11/10/12, 1/11/12, 7/2/13

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): No reference

PM Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Making Marine Parks Accountable) Bill 2012 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Mr Christensen —€“ Nats)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: require the minister, before the Governor-General declares an area of sea or an area of land and sea as a Commonwealth reserve, to establish an independent scientific reference panel, a stakeholder advisory group and to commission an independent assessment of social and economic impacts of any proposal, including any relevant compensation costing; require the minister to publish the reports of the scientific reference panel and the stakeholder advisory group; and provide that a Commonwealth reserve declaration be subject to disallowance.

House of Representatives: Intro. 17/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 26/11/12

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Monitoring of Whaling) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to require: an Australian Commonwealth vessel to monitor the activities of foreign whaling vessels in and around Australia—€™s Whale Sanctuary; and the minister to report on any such activities.

Senate: Intro. 9/2/12; 2nd reading adjourned 9/2/12

SBC report 1/12 (tabled and adopted 9/2/12): No reference

PM Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Moratorium on Aquifer Drilling Connected with Coal Seam Gas Extraction) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: place a two year moratorium on aquifer drilling connected with coal seam gas extraction; and impose penalties for any contravention.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Read a 1st time 11/2/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Live Imports of Primates for Research) Bill 2012

(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. 22/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 22/11/12

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Prohibition of Support for Whaling) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senators Siewert and Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to create an offence of providing any service, support or resources to organisations engaged in whaling.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 23/11/10; report presented out of sitting 25/3/11 and tabled 10/5/11

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Protecting Australia—€™s Water Resources) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Waters —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: provide that mining operations require Commonwealth approval if they will have, or are likely to have, significant impact on the quality, structural integrity or hydraulic balance of a water resource; and impose penalties.

Senate: Intro. 1/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 1/11/11

SBC report 16/11 (tabled and adopted 10/11/11): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report tabled 27/2/12

PS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Retaining Federal Approval Powers) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Waters —€“ AG)

Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to prevent the Commonwealth from delegating the approval of proposed actions covered by bilateral agreements to a state or territory.

Senate: Intro. 27/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/12, 14/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 25/2/13, 28/2/13; report tabled 12/3/13

PS Evidence Amendment (Journalists—€™ Privilege) Bill 2010 (No. 2)

(Introduced by Senator Brandis —€“ LP)

Amends the Evidence Act 1995 to extend protection to confidential communications between journalists and their sources by: presuming the communication is not subject to disclosure unless established as necessary or that public interest concerns outweigh the disclosure; and extending this privilege to all professional confidential relationships and to all prosecutions for Commonwealth offences heard in all Australian courts.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 15/11/10; report tabled 23/11/10

SBC report 14/10 (tabled and adopted 18/11/10): Committee noted reference (see above)

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Finance) Bill 2013

Amends the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act 1991 to: allow for the payment of a $200 million special dividend from the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation—€™s (EFIC) surplus capital in the 2012-13 financial year; enable the minister to direct that future special dividends be made by EFIC; and enable the minister, by legislative instrument, to prescribe an increase in EFIC—€™s callable capital; and make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 13/3/13

Senate: Intro. 14/3/13; Passed 21/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Assent: 30/3/13; Act No. 30, 2013

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (New Mandate and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Amends the: Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act 1991 to: provide for the circumstances in which the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) can provide insurance or another financial service or product on its commercial account; enable EFIC to guarantee loans for foreign based subsidiaries of certain Australian based companies; exclude public service personnel from the EFIC board; and apply competitive neutrality principles to EFIC—€™s commercial account operations; and Corporations Act 2001 and Insurance Contracts Act 1984 to make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Export Market Development Grants Act 1997 in relation to the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme to: increase the maximum number of grants to eight; provide that certain applicants claiming grants only receive support for expenses incurred to promote exports to markets other than the USA, Canada and the European Union member states; enable the minister to make a determination to specify a percentage of the scheme—€™s appropriation to fund administration for a financial year; prevent further approval of joint ventures after 30 June 2013; remove event promoters from the scheme; prevent the payment of grants to applicants engaging an EMDG consultant assessed to not be a fit and proper person; provide that if an amount grant is determined before 1 July following the —€˜balance distribution date—€™, the grant becomes payable; and require applicants to acquit claims by paying for claimed expenses.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 14/3/13

2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 18/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 18/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

PM Fair Indexation of Military Superannuation Entitlements Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Provides that the minister must, within six months of this legislation taking effect, take legislative action to index the Defence Force Retirement Benefit Scheme, the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefit Scheme and the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme using the same methodology as that used for the Australian age and service pensions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/10/12; Read a 1st time 29/10/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 70 (tabled 31/10/12): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services

PM Fair Work Amendment (Arbitration) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to provide that Fair Work Australia may deal with disputes by arbitration, mediation or conciliation, or by making a recommendation or expressing an opinion.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Read a 1st time 11/2/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

PM Fair Work Amendment (Better Work/Life Balance) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to extend the right to request flexible working arrangements to all employees.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/12; 2nd reading adjourned 10/9/12

SC report no. 44 (tabled 16/2/12): Bill referred to House Education and Employment Committee; report tabled 25/6/12

Fair Work Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 to: provide that any period of unpaid special maternity leave taken by an eligible employee does not reduce that employee—€™s entitlement to unpaid parental leave; increase the maximum period of concurrent unpaid parental leave from three to eight weeks; allow that leave to be taken in separate periods within the first 12 months of the birth or adoption of a child; expand access to the right to request flexible working arrangements; require employers to consult with employees about changes to regular rosters or ordinary work hours; enable pregnant employees to transfer to a safe job regardless of their period of service; require the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to take into account the need to provide additional remuneration for certain employees; enable an employee who is bullied at work to apply to the FWC for an order to stop the bullying; establish a framework under which permit holders may enter premises for investigation and discussion purposes; expressly confer on the FWC the function of promoting cooperative and productive workplace relations and preventing disputes; and make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Education and Employment Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

PS Fair Work Amendment (Paid Parental Leave) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: provide 26 weeks government-funded paid parental leave for all eligible Australian parents at the level of the federal minimum wage, or average wage, with a right to return to work; and make consequential amendments.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Fair Work Amendment (Small Business—€”Penalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to provide that businesses in the restaurant and catering or retail industries with fewer than 20 full-time and full-time equivalent employees are only required to pay penalty rates where an employee has worked more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period, or more than 38 hours in a seven-day period.

Senate: Intro. 16/8/12; 2nd reading adjourned 16/8/12

SBC report 10/12 (tabled and adopted 23/8/12): Bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 18/9/12; report tabled 12/3/13

PM Fair Work Amendment (Tackling Job Insecurity) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: enable casual and rolling contract employees or their union representative to request an employer for a secure employment arrangement; provide that Fair Work Australia (FWA) can issue a secure employment order if an employee—€™s request is refused; enable FWA to make orders to maintain existing secure employment arrangements; enable unions and employer associations to apply directly to FWA for secure employment orders; and preserve the right of small businesses to use casual employees.

House of Representatives: Intro. 26/11/12; Did not proceed (under standing order 116(a)) 18/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to House Education and Employment Committee

Restored to Notice Paper 20/3/13 (see item 40, Votes and Proceedings 20/3/13); 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

PM Fair Work (Job Security and Fairer Bargaining) Amendment Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to: the objects of the Act; permitted matters in enterprise agreements; settling disputes; industrial action related workplace determinations; notice requirements for industrial action; and the termination of protected industrial action.

House of Representatives: Intro. 27/2/12

Federation Chamber: Referred 17/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 17/9/12

PS Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Towards Transparency) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Abetz —€“ LP)

Amends the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: make it a civil offence for a reporting unit not to lodge a compliant full or concise report with Fair Work Australia; impose penalties on officers of registered organisations who do not act in good faith, or misuse their position or information obtained; increase pecuniary penalty orders that the Federal Court may make; and make it a criminal offence for a registered organisation, or officers of a registered organisation, to not comply with applicable orders of a state or Federal Court.

Senate: Intro. 27/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/12, 21/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; report tabled 12/3/13

PM Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Towards Transparency) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Abbott —€“ LP)

Amends the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to: make it a civil offence for a reporting unit not to lodge a compliant full or concise report with Fair Work Australia; impose penalties on officers of registered organisations who do not act in good faith, or misuse their position or information obtained; increase pecuniary penalty orders that the Federal Court may make; and make it a criminal offence for a registered organisation, or officers of a registered organisation, to not comply with applicable orders of a state or Federal Court.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 18/3/13

PS Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Restoration of Racial Discrimination Act) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Amends the Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Act 2007, Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 and Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Act 2007 so that: provisions of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 prevail over the Acts; the Acts do not authorise conduct inconsistent with the Racial Discrimination Act 1975; the Acts and any acts done under them are intended to qualify as special measures; and any acts done, decisions made or discretion exercised under the Acts must be consistent with the intended beneficial purpose of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013

Amends: the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999, A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 and Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2012 to reduce the amount of baby bonus for second and subsequent children to $3000; the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to provide that family tax benefit continues until the end of the calendar year that a child completes secondary school; the Social Security Act 1991 to extend the double orphan pension qualification period for students completing study; the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to: provide that certain students who are unable to attend school due to special circumstances are still eligible to receive the schoolkids bonus; enable certain clean energy supplement arrears to be paid straight away; and provide that a member of a couple is entitled to a clean energy advance top-up in certain situations; five Acts to clarify that the baby bonus is only paid at around the time a child first enters a person—€™s care; the Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to clarify that customers who end payment on a quarterly basis of clean energy supplement, pension supplement or seniors supplement do not have to wait to be paid arrears; and the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to set out how paid parental leave applies to dad and partner pay claims made in prescribed circumstances.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/2/13, 12/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): Provisions of bill referred to:

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 18/3/13; report tabled 19/3/13

Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 18/3/13

Federal Circuit Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013

(Previous title: Federal Circuit Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012)

Consequential on the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, the bill amends 83 Acts and the proposed Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2012 to reflect the renaming of the Federal Magistrates Court to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and the change in titles of Chief Federal Magistrate to Chief Judge and Federal Magistrate to Judge.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Federation Chamber CID amendments: 9 Govt/passed

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 13, 2013

Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 4) 2012

(Act citation: Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2013)

Amends the: Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 to replace references to —€˜Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines—€™ with —€˜guidelines in relation to procurement—€™; Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to enable the Director of National Parks to enter into contracts with a threshold of $1 million without seeking the minister—€™s approval; Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 to establish a special appropriation for the purpose of making remissions or refunds of import levies and manufacture levies, including those related to synthetic greenhouse gas management equipment; Papua New Guinea (Staffing Assistance) Act 1973 to establish a framework for dealing with overpayments, and to address instances where payments are made from an appropriation to recipients, that are not, in practice, consistent with the requirements or preconditions imposed by the Act and risk breaching section 83 of the Constitution; and Public Accounts and Audit Committee Act 1951 to reflect gender neutral terms.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 8, 2013

Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2013

The bill: amends the: Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 to provide that decisions made under the proposed amendment to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 are not subject to administrative review; Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 to authorise the Commonwealth to form or participate in forming companies and to acquire shares in, or become a member of a company, if the proposed company and its objects or proposed activities are specified in the Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997; Social Security Act 1991 to provide for recoverable payments and recoverable death payments for payments made under the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payments scheme; Judges—€™ Pensions Act 1968 and Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 to establish recoverable payments and recoverable death payments; and Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997 to specify a list of existing Commonwealth owned companies; and enables deferred tax asset relief to be provided to the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation in relation to the transfer of assets from the Military Superannuation and Benefits Fund to the ARIA Investments Trust.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Fisheries Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2012

(Act citation: Fisheries Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2013)

Amends the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and Fisheries Administration Act 1999 to: facilitate the implementation of electronic monitoring (e-monitoring) of fishing and fishing-related activities undertaken by Commonwealth fishing concession and scientific permit holders, for the purposes of data collection and compliance monitoring; and make consequential amendments; and Fisheries Management Act 1991 in relation to: fishery closures; waiver of levies payable for surrendered statutory fishing rights; and responsibility of corporations and other concession holders for unlawful conduct of their directors, employees or agents.

House of Representatives: Intro. 27/6/12; Passed 15/8/12

Senate: Intro. 20/8/12; Passed 18/3/13

SBC report 9/12 (tabled and adopted 16/8/12): No reference

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 27, 2013

PS Food Safety (Trans Fats) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

The bill: prohibits the manufacture, distribution, offering for sale, selling or otherwise trading in food containing synthetic trans fatty acids; and retains the right of state and territory governments to develop their own complementary or alternative regulatory regime.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling—€”Genetically Modified Material) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind and Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Amends the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to require Food Standards Australia New Zealand to develop and approve labelling standards to be used by food producers, manufacturers and distributors of food containing genetically modified material.

Senate: Intro. 16/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 16/11/10

SBC report 15/10 (tabled and adopted 26/11/10): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 15/6/11; report tabled 24/8/11

PS Foreign Acquisitions Amendment (Agricultural Land) Bill 2010

(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

SBC report 1/11 (tabled and adopted 10/2/11): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 16/6/11

PM Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Amendment (Cubbie Station) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Katter —€“ KAP)

Amends the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975: to require the Treasurer to make an order prohibiting the acquisition or issue of any shares in Cubbie Station if this would result in the company being controlled by foreign persons; and, if Cubbie Station becomes foreign controlled, to require the Treasurer to direct the person who acquired the shares to dispose of them.

House of Representatives: Intro. 26/11/12; Read a 1st time 26/11/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

Foreign Affairs Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2013

Amends the: Intelligence Services Act 2001 to enable an Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) employee to move to an Australian Public Service (APS) agency in the same way that APS employees voluntarily transfer between agencies; and Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to enable the Director-General of ASIS, with the approval of the minister, to make a declaration that specified provisions of the Act do not apply, or apply subject to modifications, in relation to persons carrying out work for the Director-General.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 19/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): No reference

PS Government Advertising (Accountability) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 to: prohibit the use of public money for advertising government policy unless it has been enacted in legislation, or both Houses of Parliament have agreed to the expenditure by resolution, or, in a national emergency, the minister has obtained the Leader of the Opposition—€™s consent to the expenditure; and provide for a penalty for any breach.

Senate: Intro. 21/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 21/6/11

SBC report 9/11 (tabled and adopted 7/7/11): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report tabled 21/9/11

PS Government Investment Funds Amendment (Ethical Investments) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senators Di Natale and Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the Future Fund Act 2006 and Nation-building Funds Act 2008 to require the ministers responsible for certain funds to develop, by legislative instrument, ethical investment guidelines for each fund (the Future Fund, the Building Australia Fund, the Education Investment Fund and the Health and Hospitals Fund) and direct the Future Fund Board to have regard to the guidelines when making investment policies.

Senate: Intro. 24/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/11, 13/9/12

SBC report 7/12 (tabled and adopted 21/6/12): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report and corrigendum tabled 23/8/12

Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012

Amends the: Health Insurance Act 1973 to permit a trainee medical specialist to perform certain procedures in a private setting under the supervision of a specialist and for the service to attract a Medicare rebate for the supervising specialist; Human Services (Medicare) Act 1973 to enable certain organisations to use the term —€˜medicare—€™ without breaching the Act; and Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 and Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 19/9/12; Passed 27/11/12

CID amendments: 3 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): No reference

PS Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Funding for Certain Types of Abortion) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Madigan —€“ DLP)

Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 to provide that Medicare benefits are not payable for medically induced terminations carried on the basis of gender.

Senate: Intro. 19/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 19/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report due 25/6/13

Higher Education Support Amendment (Asian Century) Bill 2013

Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to expand eligibility for OS-HELP assistance and provide additional incentives for university students to undertake part of their course of study in Asia from 1 January 2014.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 14/2/13

SC report no. 75 (tabled 14/2/13): Bill referred to House Education and Employment Committee

Senate:

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Higher Education Support Amendment (Further Streamlining and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: require the minister to automatically revoke a body—€™s approval as a higher education or VET provider if registration ceases or a winding up order is made; enable a provider—€™s business entity name to be changed without having to revoke their approval and re-approve with retrospective application; enable the minister to issue a provider with a compliance notice in certain circumstances; update the calculation of indexation to apply to HELP repayment thresholds; and enable the minister to seek information from the relevant tertiary education regulator for the purposes of administration or enforcing compliance.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/2/13; Passed 12/3/13

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 21/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 23, 2013

ED Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012

Proposes to: consolidate the Age Discrimination Act 2004, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986; and make further reforms to anti-discrimination law, including implementing certain recommendations of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs report Effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality.

Senate: Exposure draft tabled 20/11/12

Reference: Exposure draft and explanatory notes referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 21/11/12; extension of time to report 7/2/13; report presented out of sitting 21/2/13 and tabled 25/2/13

Income Tax Rates Amendment (Unlawful Payments from Regulated Superannuation Funds) Bill 2012

Introduced with the Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Reducing Illegal Early Release and Other Measures) Bill 2012, the bill amends the Income Tax Rates Act 1986 to impose a 45 per cent tax on superannuation benefits that are illegally released.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/12

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 to provide additional funding for the period 1 January 2012 to 30 June 2014 for: the School Nutrition Program and the Additional Teachers initiative under the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory National Partnership; and the Achieving Results Through Indigenous Education project to be administered through the Sporting Chance program.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Consideration deferred

S Inspector-General of Biosecurity Bill 2012 [2013]

Introduced with the Biosecurity Bill 2012 [2013], the bill establishes the Inspector-General of Biosecurity as a statutory body to review and report on: the performance of functions and the exercise of powers by the Director of Biosecurity, biosecurity officers and biosecurity enforcement officers; and the process for conducting biosecurity import risk analyses.

Senate: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; interim report presented out of sitting 12/2/13 and tabled 25/2/13; extension of time for final report 26/2/13; final report due 24/6/13

Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 in relation to: duty of utmost good faith; bundled workers—€™ compensation contracts; bundled contracts generally; electronic communication; powers of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC); insureds—€™ duty of disclosure and duty to inform of duty of disclosure; eligible contracts of insurance; non-disclosure by life insureds; unbundling of contracts; remedies for non-disclosure and misrepresentation; remedy for misstatement of date of birth; cancellation of contracts; requests by third party beneficiaries to insurers for information; insurers—€™ defences in actions by third party beneficiaries; rights and obligations of third party beneficiaries under life insurance contracts; rights of third parties to recover against insurers; representative actions by ASIC on behalf of third party beneficiaries; non-disclosure or misrepresentation by members of group life insurance schemes; and subrogation.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Passed 19/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report due 25/6/13

PS Interactive Gambling and Broadcasting Amendment (Online Transactions and Other Measures) Bill 2011

(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

SBC report 9/11 (tabled and adopted 7/7/11): Committee noted reference (see below)

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

International Fund for Agricultural Development Amendment Bill 2012

Amends the International Fund for Agricultural Development Act 1977 to allow Australia to accede to the Agreement Establishing the International Fund for Agricultural Development under Australian law.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 13/9/12, 5/2/13, 6/2/13

SC report no. 65 (tabled 13/9/12): Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; report tabled in House 26/11/12 and Senate 28/11/12

Senate:

SBC report 12/12 (tabled and adopted 20/9/12): No reference

International Monetary Agreements Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the International Monetary Agreements Act 1947 to: establish a standing appropriation and authority to borrow for payments to meet drawings made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a bilateral loan agreement entered into by Australia and the IMF on 13 October 2012; and make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 14/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): No reference

S International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 to: provide for regulations to confer privileges and immunities on the International Committee for the Red Cross and the International Criminal Court; and make consequential amendments.

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; report due 25/6/13

International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill 2012

(Act citation: International Tax Agreements Amendment Act 2013)

Amends the International Tax Agreements Act 1953 to: give legislative effect to bilateral taxation agreements with India, the Marshall Islands and Mauritius; and update certain references to existing taxation agreements.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 14, 2013

PS Keeping Jobs from Going Offshore (Protection of Personal Information) Bill 2009
R [2010]

(Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

The bill requires: Australian organisations to meet certain requirements before transferring personal information about an individual to an organisation in a foreign country; and foreign call centres to identify the city and country in which they are located when contacting customers.

Senate: Intro. 26/10/09; 2nd reading adjourned 26/10/09

SBC report 7/10 (tabled and adopted 13/5/10): Bill referred to Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts Legislation Committee; report presented out of sitting 6/8/10 and tabled 28/9/10

Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 30/9/10

PS Landholders—€™ Right to Refuse (Coal Seam Gas) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Waters —€“ AG)

The bill: provides that Australian landholders have the right to refuse the undertaking of coal seam gas mining activities by corporations on food producing land without prior written permission; sets out the requirements of a prior written notice; and provides for relief which a court may grant a land owner when prior written permission is not provided.

Senate: Intro. 24/8/11; 2nd reading adjourned 24/8/11, 22/9/11, 22/3/12

SBC report 13/11 (tabled and adopted 22/9/11): No reference

PS Live Animal Export Restriction and Prohibition Bill 2011 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the: Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 to: prohibit the export of live-stock for slaughter on or after 1 July 2014; and provide that export licence holders ensure all live-stock are treated satisfactorily prior to slaughter; and Export Control Act 1982 to: prohibit the export of live-stock for slaughter unless the secretary is satisfied that the live-stock will be treated satisfactorily prior to slaughter; and prohibit the export of live-stock for slaughter on or after 1 July 2014.

Senate: Intro. 20/6/11; 2nd reading adjourned 20/6/11

SBC report 8/11 (tabled and adopted 23/6/11): Bill referred to Senate Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee; extension of time to report 16/8/11; variation of reporting date 18/8/11; extensions of time to report 20/9/11, 12/10/11, 9/11/11; report tabled 23/11/11

PS Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Rhiannon —€“ AG)

Amends the Export Control Act 1982 to prohibit the export of live-stock for slaughter.

Senate: Intro. 22/3/12; 2nd reading adjourned 22/3/12, 11/10/12

PM Livestock Export (Animal Welfare Conditions) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Amends the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 to: provide that live-stock exported for slaughter are transported and slaughtered humanely; make the secretary responsible to ensure that live-stock exported for slaughter under a live-stock export licence are treated humanely and if not, cease their export; and penalise the holder of a live-stock export licence if they fail to inform the secretary of inhumane treatment of live-stock.

House of Representatives: Intro. 10/9/12; Read a 1st time 10/9/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

PS Low Aromatic Fuel Bill 2012

(Act citation: Low Aromatic Fuel Act 2013)

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Mitigates the negative impacts of petrol sniffing in areas designated as low aromatic fuel areas and fuel control areas by: prohibiting the supply of regular unleaded petrol; promoting and monitoring the supply of low aromatic fuel; and controlling the supply and storage of other fuels.

Senate: Intro. 1/3/12; Passed 27/11/12

SBC report 5/12 (tabled and adopted 10/5/12): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; interim report presented out of sitting 21/9/12 and tabled 9/10/12; final report presented out of sitting 26/9/12 and tabled 9/10/12

Committee amendments: 25 Govt/passed; 2 AG/passed; 5 AG/withdrawn

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Assent: 14/2/13; Act No. 1, 2013

Malabar Headland Protection Bill 2012

Provides for the protection of environmental, heritage and cultural features contained in the Malabar Headland, New South Wales, following divestment to New South Wales.

House of Representatives: Intro. 9/5/12; 2nd reading adjourned 9/5/12

Senate:

SBC report 6/12 (tabled and adopted 19/6/12): No reference

PM Marine Engineers Qualification Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Requires that any marine regulations be amended by the issuing authority so that they comply with and give effect to the existing Australian standards for marine engineering and electro-technical competencies.

House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/13; Read a 1st time 18/3/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 to provide that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, as the National Marine Safety Regulator, is able to reimburse to the states and the Northern Territory amounts collected for infringement notices.

House of Representatives: Intro. 6/2/13; Passed 13/2/13

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 1/13 (tabled and adopted 7/2/13): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 9, 2013

Maritime Powers Bill 2012

(Act citation: Maritime Powers Act 2013)

Introduced with the Maritime Powers (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012 to establish a framework for the exercise of maritime enforcement powers, the bill: establishes a system of authorisations under which a maritime officer may exercise enforcement powers in relation to vessels, installations, aircraft, protected land areas and isolated persons on certain grounds; provides for the enforcement powers available to maritime officers including boarding, obtaining information, searching, detaining, seizing and retaining things, and moving and detaining persons; provides for processes for dealing with things seized, retained or detained and persons held; and creates offences for failure to comply.

House of Representatives: Intro. 30/5/12; Passed 20/8/12

SC report no. 55 (tabled 31/5/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 28/6/12

Senate: Intro. 20/8/12; Passed 13/3/13

SBC report 7/12 (tabled and adopted 21/6/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/8/12; report tabled 12/9/12

Committee amendments: 4 Opp/negatived

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 15, 2013

Maritime Powers (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Maritime Powers (Consequential Amendments) Act 2013)

Introduced with the Maritime Powers Bill 2012 to establish a framework for the exercise of maritime enforcement powers, the bill amends five Acts to remove maritime enforcement powers which have been replaced by the proposed Maritime Powers Act 2012.

House of Representatives: Intro. 30/5/12; Passed 20/8/12

SC report no. 55 (tabled 31/5/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 28/6/12

Senate: Intro. 20/8/12; Passed 13/3/13

SBC report 7/12 (tabled and adopted 21/6/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/8/12; report tabled 12/9/12

Assent: 27/3/13; Act No. 16, 2013

Marriage Amendment (Celebrant Administration and Fees) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Marriage (Celebrant Registration Charge) Bill 2013, the bill amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: provide for a celebrant registration charge to be imposed from 1 July 2013 on Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants who are authorised under the Marriage Celebrants Program to perform marriages; provide for the deregistration of celebrants who do not pay the celebrant registration charge or obtain an exemption; enable the imposition of a registration application fee for prospective celebrants seeking registration; provide for exemptions and the imposition of processing fees for applications for exemptions; remove the requirement for performance reviews every five years of marriage celebrants; and make minor amendments to the Marriage Celebrants Program.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 18/6/13

Marriage (Celebrant Registration Charge) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Marriage Amendment (Celebrant Administration and Fees) Bill 2013, the bill: imposes an annual celebrant registration charge with a statutory limit of $600 for the 2013-14 financial year; and provides for indexation of the statutory limit in later financial years.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 18/6/13

PS Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: remove discriminatory references based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and allow marriage regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; Discharged from Notice Paper 25/2/13

SBC report 12/10 (tabled and adopted 27/10/10): No reference

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 8/2/12; extension of time to report 28/2/12; interim report presented out of sitting 31/5/12 and tabled 18/6/12; extension of time for final report 18/6/12; final report tabled 25/6/12

PM Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG and Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Amends the Marriage Act 1961 to: remove discriminatory references based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and allow marriage regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/12

SC report no. 44 (tabled 16/2/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; report tabled 18/6/12

Federation Chamber: Referred 18/6/12; 2nd reading adjourned 18/6/12, 18/3/13

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. 25/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 25/2/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

PS Migration Amendment (Declared Countries) Bill (No. 2) 2011

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the: Migration Act 1958 to provide that a ministerial declaration specifying that a country provides certain procedures and protections for offshore entry persons is a legislative instrument; and Legislative Instruments Act 2003 to provide that the ministerial declaration is subject to disallowance by either House of the Parliament.

Senate: Intro. 5/7/11; 2nd reading adjourned 5/7/11

SBC report 13/11 (tabled and adopted 22/9/11): No reference

PS Migration Amendment (Detention of Minors) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to provide that the minister must, within 12 days: determine that a detained minor reside within the community; and appoint a person to act as guardian to the minor.

Senate: Intro. 28/10/10; 2nd reading adjourned 28/10/10

SBC report 5/11 (tabled and adopted 12/5/11): No reference

PS Migration Amendment (Detention Reform and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the: Migration Act 1958 to: establish asylum seeker principles; facilitate judicial review of detention decisions; repeal excised offshore places and indefinite detention provisions; and restore asylum seekers rights to fair process and procedural fairness; and Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 to repeal the privative clause decision within the Migration Act 1958.

Senate: Intro. 18/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 18/11/10

SBC report 3/11 (tabled and adopted 24/3/11): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 18/8/11

PS Migration Amendment (Health Care for Asylum Seekers) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senators Hanson-Young and Di Natale —€“ AG)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: require the minister to establish a health advisory panel to monitor, assess and report on the health of offshore entry persons who are taken to regional processing countries; establish the qualifications of members appointed to the panel; outline how the panel will carry out its functions; require the panel to report every six months on the health of offshore entry persons to the Parliament; and provide the panel with specific powers to obtain certain information.

Senate: Intro. 11/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 11/9/12

SBC report 11/12 (tabled and adopted 13/9/12): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/11/12; report presented out of sitting 7/12/12 and tabled 5/2/13

Migration Amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Migration Amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Act 2013)

In response to recommendations of the Report of the 2010 Review of the Migration Amendment (Employer Sanctions) Act 2007 in relation to the employer sanctions framework, the bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to: amend the criminal offences, and create new non-fault civil penalty provisions, for persons who allow an unlawful non-citizen to work, refer an unlawful person to a third person for work, allow a lawful non-citizen to work in breach of a work-related visa condition or refer a lawful non-citizen to a third person for work in breach of a work-related visa condition; extend liability for contravention to a wider range of persons and entities; enable an infringement notice to be issued as an alternative to commencing civil penalty proceedings; extend the geographical jurisdiction in relation to work-related civil penalty provisions; and introduce investigation powers to allow authorised officers to gather evidence of suspected breaches.

House of Representatives: Intro. 19/9/12; Passed 27/11/12

Senate: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 27/2/13

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 10, 2013

PM Migration Amendment (Reinstatement of Temporary Protection Visas) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Morrison —€“ LP)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to create two visa subclasses: temporary protection (offshore entry) visas and temporary protection (secondary movement offshore entry) visas, for persons who have arrived in Australia illegally or at an excised offshore place and are found to have engaged Australia—€™s protection obligations.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13

Federation Chamber: Referred 18/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 18/3/13

PS Migration Amendment (Reinstatement of Temporary Protection Visas) Bill 2013 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Senator Cash —€“ LP)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to create two visa subclasses: temporary protection (offshore entry) visas and temporary protection (secondary movement offshore entry) visas, for persons who have arrived in Australia illegally or at an excised offshore place and are found to have engaged Australia—€™s protection obligations.

Senate: Intro. 28/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 28/2/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): No reference

PS Migration Amendment (Removal of Mandatory Minimum Penalties) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to remove the mandatory minimum sentence provision from three people smuggling offences.

Senate: Intro. 8/2/12; 2nd reading adjourned 8/2/12

SBC report 1/12 (tabled and adopted 9/2/12): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 28/2/12; report presented out of sitting 4/4/12 and tabled 10/5/12

PS Migration Amendment (Special Protection Scheme for Afghan Coalition Employees) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: create a class of special protection visas for non-citizens who are refugees under Article 1A of the Refugees Convention and who are subject to persecution in their home country because they worked assisting either the International Security Assistance Force, the Australian Embassy or a subcontractor for a Commonwealth defence agency in Afghanistan for at least 12 months; and extend eligibility to family members of a holder of a special protection visa.

Senate: Intro. 20/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 20/11/12

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012

Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: implement a recommendation of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers to provide that asylum seekers who unlawfully arrive anywhere in Australia are subject to the same regional processing arrangements as asylum seekers who arrive at an excised offshore place; ensure that a person does not cease to be a transitory person if they have been assessed to be a refugee; provide for discretionary immigration detention of Papua New Guinea citizens who are unlawful non-citizens and are in a protected area; and provide for an annual report on the Bali Process and aspects of the Regional Cooperation Framework.

House of Representatives: Intro. 31/10/12; Passed 27/11/12

CID amendment: 1 Ind (Oakeshott)/passed

Senate: Intro. 5/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 5/2/13

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/11/12; report tabled 25/2/13

PS Migration and Security Legislation Amendment (Review of Security Assessments) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the: Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 to: enable non-citizens eligible for a protection visa to seek a merits review of their security assessment in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT); and create the position of Special Advocate to provide support for these reviews; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 to require the Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to review adverse or qualified security assessments of protection visa persons every six months or on referral from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship; and Migration Act 1958 to require the minister to review a decision to refuse or cancel a protection visa when an adverse security assessment is revoked by an ASIO review or an AAT merits review.

Senate: Intro. 10/10/12; 2nd reading adjourned 10/10/12

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 20/11/12, 26/2/13; report due 30/4/13

Military Court of Australia Bill 2012

Introduced with the Military Court of Australia (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012, the bill establishes the Military Court of Australia and provides for the court—€™s management, jurisdiction, administration within the infrastructure of the Federal Court of Australia, and practice and procedure.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/6/12; 2nd reading adjourned 21/6/12

Senate:

SBC report 8/12 (tabled and adopted 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12)): Provisions of bill referred to:

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; report tabled 14/8/12

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 14/8/12; report tabled 9/10/12

Military Court of Australia (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012

Introduced with the Military Court of Australia Bill 2012, the bill amends: the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to: retain courts martial and Defence Force magistrates; provide for a right of election for trial; clarify the status and character of service offences; remove references to old system offences; and maintain cooperation where military discipline and criminal law jurisdictions overlap; and 22 other Acts to make consequential amendments. Also abolishes the Defence Force Discipline Appeals Tribunal by repealing the Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/6/12; 2nd reading adjourned 21/6/12

Senate:

SBC report 8/12 (tabled and adopted 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12)): Provisions of bill referred to:

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; report tabled 14/8/12

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 14/8/12; report tabled 9/10/12

Military Justice (Interim Measures) Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Military Justice (Interim Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009 to extend the appointment, remuneration and entitlement arrangements for the Chief Judge Advocate and two Judge Advocates for an additional two years or until the minister declares a termination day, whichever is sooner.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

PS Minerals Resource Rent Tax Amendment (Protecting Revenue) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Milne —€“ AG)

Amends the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Act 2012 to provide that any increases in state royalties after 1 July 2011 be disregarded when calculating royalty credits for the minerals resource rent tax.

Senate: Intro. 12/9/12; 2nd reading adjourned 12/9/12, 28/2/13

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 20/11/12; report tabled 27/2/13

PM Minerals Resource Rent Tax Amendment (Protecting Revenue) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Act 2012 to provide that any increases in state royalties after 1 July 2011 be disregarded when calculating royalty credits for the minerals resource rent tax.

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Read a 1st time 11/2/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 75 (tabled 14/2/13): Bill referred to House Economics Committee

National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2013

(Previous title: National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012)

Establishes a framework for the National Disability Insurance Scheme by: setting out the objects and principles of the scheme, including people with disability being given choice and control over the care and support they receive, and giving effect to certain obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; providing for the establishment and functions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency, including implementing the scheme from July 2013; and providing for a review of the operation of the Act after a two-year period.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 14/3/13

CID amendments: 77 Govt/passed; 1 Opp/negatived; 3 Ind (Wilkie)/negatived

Senate: Intro. 18/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 13/3/13

Committee amendments: 16 Govt/passed; 1 AG/passed; 1 Opp/negatived; 6 AG/negatived; 6 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived

[House agreed to Senate amendments 21/3/13]

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 20, 2013

PM National Electricity Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Oakeshott —€“ Ind)

Makes the national electricity law a Commonwealth law by: incorporating the Australian Energy Market Act 2004, Australian Energy Market Commission Establishment Act 2004 (SA) and parts of the National Electricity (South Australia) Act 1996 (SA) (the existing national electricity law); making the national electricity rules a disallowable instrument; establishing the Australian Energy Market Commission as a Commonwealth statutory authority; establishing a Consumer Advocacy Panel; and retaining the judicial review of decisions made by the Australian Energy Market Operator.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/10/12; Read a 1st time 29/10/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 72 (tabled 1/11/12): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 11/2/13

PS National Integrity Commissioner Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ 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 proprietary. Also provides for the establishment of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Integrity Commission.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PM National Integrity Commissioner Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ 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 proprietary. Also provides for the establishment of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Integrity Commission.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/5/12; Removed from Notice Paper 12/2/13

SC report no. 55 (tabled 31/5/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; report tabled 10/9/12

National Measurement Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the National Measurement Act 1960 in relation to the: powers of trade measurement inspectors to issue a notice to remedy, to investigate potential breaches in public areas of business premises and to give directions to controllers of business vehicles; offences relating to the use and repair of measuring instruments; clarification of the extent to which the definition of —€˜use for trade—€™ applies to the determination of fuel tax credits; and technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Native Title Amendment Bill 2012

Amends the Native Title Act 1993 to: enable certain parties to agree to disregard historical extinguishment of native title in certain areas set aside and public works in areas set aside; clarify the conduct expected of parties in future act negotiations; extend to eight months the time before a party may seek a determination from an arbitral body; streamline processes and broaden the scope for voluntary indigenous land use agreements; and make a technical amendment.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to House Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 28/2/13; report tabled 18/3/13; correction tabled 19/3/13

PS Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Amends the Native Title Act 1993 in relation to: the application of the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to decision-making; heritage protection; the application of the non-extinguishment principle to the compulsory acquisition of land; the right to negotiate to apply to offshore areas; good faith negotiations; profit sharing and royalties in arbitration; enabling extinguishment to be disregarded; burden of proof; the definition of —€˜traditional—€™; and commercial rights and interests.

Senate: Intro. 21/3/11; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/11

SBC report 5/11 (tabled and adopted 12/5/11): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 20/9/11, 3/11/11; report tabled 9/11/11

PS Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill (No. 1) 2012

(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. 29/2/12; 2nd reading adjourned 29/2/12

SBC report 2/12 (tabled and adopted 1/3/12): No reference

News Media (Self-regulation) Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill provides for: the Public Interest Media Advocate (PIMA) to declare a specified body corporate as a news media self-regulation body and specifies the conditions and requirements for making a declaration and when it takes effect; the PIMA to revoke a declaration, the conditions and requirements for a revocation and when it takes effect; a review of the operation of the Act within three years of a declaration taking effect.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Discharged from Notice Paper 21/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

News Media (Self-regulation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill amends the Privacy Act 1988 to provide that a news media organisation must be a member of the news media self-regulation body to qualify for the journalism exemption which relates to the obtaining, keeping and disclosing of personal information.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Discharged from Notice Paper 21/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

S Not-for-profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill 2013

Invalidates clauses in Commonwealth agreements with the not-for-profit (NFP) sector that restrict or prevent NFP entities from advocating on Commonwealth law, policy or actions.

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Compliance Measures) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Compliance Measures) Act 2013)

Amends the: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 in relation to the offshore petroleum regulatory regime by: enabling National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEA) inspectors to conduct inspections to monitor compliance with and investigate suspected non-compliance with a warrant; enabling NOPSEA inspectors to enter certain offshore areas to monitor occupational health and safety (OHS) and petroleum environmental management laws without a warrant; introducing a civil penalty regime; increasing criminal penalties for certain OHS and environmental offences; enabling regulatory entities to share certain regulatory information in certain circumstances; and removing the responsible Tasmanian Minister from the Joint Authority for the offshore area of Tasmania.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 11, 2013

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Compliance Measures No. 2) Bill 2013

Amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 in relation to the offshore petroleum regulatory regime to: implement enforcement mechanisms including infringement notices, daily penalties for continuing offences and civil penalty provisions, injunctions and adverse publicity orders; enable National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority inspectors to issue environmental prohibition and improvement notices to require petroleum titleholders to remove significant threats to the environment and provide for publication of these notices; provide for an express polluter pays obligation and an associated third party cost recovery mechanism; clarify insurance requirements to ensure that maintenance of sufficient financial assurance is compulsory without a direction being given; and make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

PS Ombudsman Amendment (Education Ombudsman) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the: Ombudsman Act 1976 to establish the Education Ombudsman as a separate office within the office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman to deal with complaints about the domestic and international education sector; and Migration Act 1958 and Privacy Act 1988 to make consequential amendments.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Paid Parental Leave and Other Legislation Amendment (Consolidation) Bill 2011

Amends the: Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to clarify provisions relating to: —€˜keeping in touch days—€™; debt recovery; notices; and delegation of the secretary—€™s powers; and Fair Work Act 2009 to: clarify unpaid parental leave arrangements in the event of a stillbirth or infant death; enable early commencement of unpaid parental leave; and enable employees who are on unpaid parental leave to perform permissible paid work for short periods (—€˜keeping in touch days—€™).

House of Representatives: Intro. 3/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 3/11/11

Senate:

SBC report 16/11 (tabled and adopted 10/11/11): No reference

PS Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2013

(Previous title: Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2012)

(Introduced by the President —€“ Senator Hogg)

Amends the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 to: clarify the roles and responsibilities of secretaries of parliamentary service departments; amend the role and responsibilities of the Senior Executive Service; clarify when reviews of action may be undertaken by the Parliamentary Service Merit Protection Commissioner (MPC); provide for the Parliamentary Service Commissioner (the commissioner) to undertake investigations into whistleblower reports after notifying the Presiding Officers; enable the commissioner and the MPC to delegate their powers and functions; revise the Parliamentary Service Values and Parliamentary Service Code of Conduct and provide for Parliamentary Service Employment Principles; add a statement about the role of the parliamentary service; and make technical amendments in relation to: code of conduct; whistleblower reports; review of actions; non-ongoing parliamentary service employees; confidentiality of information; immunity from suit; legislative instruments; and acting appointments for statutory office-holder positions.

Senate: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 7/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report tabled 5/2/13

Committee amendments: 2 President/passed

House of Representatives: Intro. 11/2/13; Passed 13/2/13

Assent: 1/3/13; Act No. 4, 2013

Parliamentary Service Amendment (Parliamentary Budget Officer) Bill 2013

Amends the: Parliamentary Service Act 1999 to: require the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to publish a report on designated parliamentary parties—€™ publicly announced policies by 30 days after a government forms following a general election; and set out the framework for the PBO to obtain information from Commonwealth bodies during the caretaker period; and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to enable the Australian Taxation Office to provide the PBO with otherwise protected taxpayer information.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 14/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): No reference

PS Patent Amendment (Human Genes and Biological Materials) Bill 2010 [No. 2]

(Introduced by Senators Coonan and Heffernan —€“ LP, Senator Siewert —€“ AG and Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Patents Act 1990 to prevent the patenting of biological materials which are identical or substantially identical to materials as they exist in nature.

Senate: Intro. 24/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/10

SBC report 15/10 (tabled and adopted 26/11/10): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 15/6/11, 23/8/11; report tabled 21/9/11

Pay As You Go Withholding Non-compliance Tax Bill 2011

Introduced with the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011, the bill imposes a pay as you go (PAYG) withholding non-compliance tax on directors and, in some circumstances, their associates where their company has a PAYG withholding liability for an income year and the director or associate is entitled to a credit for amounts withheld by the company during the income year.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/10/11; 2nd reading adjourned 13/10/11

SC report no. 36 (tabled 13/10/11): Bill referred to House Economics Committee; report tabled 3/11/11

Senate:

SBC report 15/11 (tabled and adopted 3/11/11): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 21/11/11

PS Plain Tobacco Packaging (Removing Branding from Cigarette Packs) Bill 2009
R [2010]

(Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

Amends the Trade Practices Act 1974 and Trade Practices (Consumer Product Information Standards) (Tobacco) Regulations 2004 to ban advertising, logos or trademarks and specify the appearance requirements for cigarette packaging.

Senate: Intro. 20/8/09; 2nd reading adjourned 20/8/09

SBC report 18/09 (tabled and adopted 26/11/09): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 24/2/10; report presented out of sitting 26/8/10 and tabled 28/9/10

Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 30/9/10

PS Plastic Bag Levy (Assessment and Collection) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Provides for the assessment and collection of a 25 cent levy for each plastic bag used at retail points of sale. Also includes reporting requirements and a regulation making power.

Senate: Intro. 22/11/10; 2nd reading adjourned 22/11/10

SBC report 15/10 (tabled and adopted 26/11/10): No reference

PS Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Provides for a national plebiscite to be held in conjunction with the next House of Representatives election on whether Australia should become a republic.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Poker Machine Harm Reduction ($1 Bets and Other Measures) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Di Natale —€“ AG, Senator Madigan —€“ DLP and Senator 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

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

PS Poker Machine Harm Reduction Tax (Administration) Bill 2008 [2010]

R (Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

The bill: provides for the administration of a poker machine harm reduction tax to be payable by a licensed operator on revenue derived from licensed poker machines; establishes the Poker Machine Harm Reduction Transition Fund Supervisory Board to determine grants to be made from the fund for the purposes of funding community activities, rehabilitation and prevention programs; and provides for promotional educational programs highlighting the risks of gambling.

Senate: Intro. 14/2/08; 2nd reading adjourned 14/2/08

SBC report 2/08 (tabled and adopted 12/3/08): Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Committee; extensions of time to report 18/3/08, 26/6/08; report tabled 10/11/08

Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 30/9/10

Reference: Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform 28/10/10; report presented out of sitting 30/8/11; report tabled in House and Senate 12/9/11

PS Poker Machine (Reduced Losses—€”Interim Measures) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

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 allow a loss exceeding $120 in one hour—€™s operation. Also imposes penalties for a contravention of these requirements.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 12/10 (tabled and adopted 27/10/10): No reference

Reference: Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform 28/10/10; report presented out of sitting 30/8/11; report tabled in House and Senate 12/9/11

PS Preventing the Misuse of Government Advertising Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Requires the Auditor-General to assess certain government information and advertising campaigns for their compliance with guidelines and to present reports of any assessment to Parliament.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Private Health Insurance Amendment (Lifetime Health Cover Loading and Other Measures) Bill 2012

Amends the: Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to: remove the Private Health Insurance Incentive Benefit (the rebate) from the Lifetime Health Cover loading component of affected private health insurance premiums; and cease the Incentive Payments Scheme which allows people to claim the rebate as a direct payment; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 28/11/12

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 12/3/13

PS Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting and Telecommunications Amendment) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senators Bob Brown and Di Natale —€“ AG)

Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: restrict the advertising or other promotion of unhealthy food and beverages on television on weekdays between 6.00 am and 9.00 am and between 4.00 pm and 9.00 pm, and on weekends and public holidays between 6.00 am and 12.00 pm and between 4.00 pm and 9.00 pm; and restrict the advertising or other promotion of unhealthy food and beverages on subscription television, the internet or by electronic message.

Senate: Intro. 21/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 21/11/11

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): No reference

PM Protecting Local Jobs (Regulating Enterprise Migration Agreements) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Bandt —€“ AG)

Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 and Migration Act 1958 to: provide that enterprise migration agreements are regulated by placing certain requirements on employers and the minister to ensure such agreements are used only where genuinely necessary and do not adversely affect local job opportunities; and require enterprise migration agreements to be tabled in each House of the Parliament.

House of Representatives: Intro. 18/6/12; 2nd reading adjourned 11/2/13, 18/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 10/12 (tabled and adopted 23/8/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; extension of time to report 18/9/12; report tabled 12/3/13

Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Bill 2012

(Act citation: Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act 2013)

Establishes a scheme to provide protection for cultural objects on loan from foreign lenders for temporary public exhibition while the objects are in Australia.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/11/12; Passed 6/2/13

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; Passed 28/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 14/3/13; Act No. 12, 2013

PS Public Accounts and Audit Committee Amendment (Ombudsman) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Public Accounts and Audit Committee Act 1951 to expand the role of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit to include additional duties in relation to the Commonwealth Ombudsman, including: examining all reports tabled by the ombudsman; reporting to Parliament on matters relating to the ombudsman; and considering the operations and resources of the ombudsman.

Senate: Intro. 1/11/11; 2nd reading adjourned 1/11/11

SBC report 1/12 (tabled and adopted 9/2/12): No reference

Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2013

The bill: establishes a framework to encourage and facilitate reporting of wrongdoing by public officials in the Commonwealth public sector; ensures that Commonwealth agencies properly investigate and respond to public interest disclosures; and provides protections to public officials who make qualifying public interest disclosures.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 25/6/13

PM Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Introduced with the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012, the bill establishes a framework to facilitate public interest disclosures by public officials and provides those officials with protections by providing for: processes for who can make a public interest disclosure and to whom; the conduct of investigations; public interest disclosures to third parties; the obligations of agencies; legal protections of disclosers; and oversight of the disclosures.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/10/12; Read a 1st time 29/10/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 72 (tabled 1/11/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee

PM Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Mr Wilkie —€“ Ind)

Introduced with the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Bill 2012, the bill makes consequential amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009, Ombudsman Act 1976, Parliamentary Service Act 1999 and Public Service Act 1999.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/10/12; Read a 1st time 29/10/12; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 72 (tabled 1/11/12): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee

Public Interest Media Advocate Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill: creates the independent statutory office of the Public Interest Media Advocate (PIMA); provides for the functions, appointment, and terms and conditions of PIMA; and requires an annual report to be prepared on PIMA—€™s activities and other specified matters.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Discharged from Notice Paper 21/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

Public Service Amendment Bill 2012

(Act citation: Public Service Amendment Act 2013)

Amends the Public Service Act 1999 to: clarify the roles and responsibilities of secretaries of departments and revise their employment arrangements; create the Secretaries Board to replace the Management Advisory Committee; amend the role and responsibilities of the Senior Executive Service; clarify the role and functions of the Australian Public Service (APS) Commissioner; appoint Special Commissioners to assist the commissioner in undertaking certain reviews; revise the APS Values and provide for a set of APS Employment Principles; and make technical amendments in relation to: code of conduct; whistleblower reports; review of actions; temporary APS employees; machinery of government changes; confidentiality of information; immunity from suit; and legislative instruments. Also makes consequential amendments to nine other Acts and repeals the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999.

House of Representatives: Intro. 1/3/12; Passed 20/8/12

CID amendments: 28 Govt/passed; 3 Opp/passed

Senate: Intro. 22/8/12; Passed 7/2/13

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): No reference

Committee amendments: 5 AG/negatived

Assent: 14/2/13; Act No. 2, 2013

PS Public Service Amendment (Payments in Special Circumstances) Bill 2011

(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

SBC report 9/11 (tabled and adopted 7/7/11): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report tabled 16/8/11

PS Qantas Sale Amendment (Still Call Australia Home) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind and Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the Qantas Sale Act 1992 to: require that Qantas—€™ principal operation centre is located in Australia; require that the majority of heavy maintenance of aircraft, flight operations and Qantas training is conducted in Australia; provide that the Qantas Board of Directors consist of at least one director with professional flight operations experience and one director with aircraft engineering experience; and provide that the minister or certain shareholder members may restrain Qantas from engaging in certain particular conduct.

Senate: Intro. 25/8/11; 2nd reading adjourned 25/8/11, 10/5/12

SBC report 12/11 (tabled and adopted 15/9/11): Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; extensions of time to report 20/9/11, 21/11/11, 29/2/12, 14/3/12; report tabled 22/3/12

PS Quarantine Amendment (Disallowing Permits) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Quarantine Act 1908 to: provide that Biosecurity Policy Determinations are disallowable legislative instruments; provide that a permit to import, introduce, or bring in an animal, plant, substance or thing is a disallowable legislative instrument; and provide that, when these instruments are presented to Parliament, the minister is required to table a risk analysis in both Houses and refer the instruments to parliamentary committees responsible for agricultural matters.

Senate: Intro. 25/8/11; 2nd reading adjourned 25/8/11, 10/11/11

SBC report 12/11 (tabled and adopted 15/9/11): Bill referred to Senate Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; report tabled 2/11/11

Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: require the Australian Electoral Commission to send a Yes/No referendum pamphlet to each residential address on the electoral roll rather than to each elector; and temporarily suspend the limit on Commonwealth spending on referendum proposals.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Bill 2012

Establishes a framework of standard regulatory powers exercised by Commonwealth agencies by providing for: monitoring and investigative powers; and enforcement provisions including civil penalties, infringement notices, enforceable undertakings and injunctions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 10/10/12; 2nd reading adjourned 10/10/12

SC report no. 68 (tabled 11/10/12): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement; report tabled in House 26/11/12 and Senate 28/11/12

Senate:

SBC report 13/12 (tabled and adopted 11/10/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report presented out of sitting 23/10/12 and tabled 29/10/12

Reference: Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 28/11/12; report tabled 18/3/13

PS Renewable Energy Amendment (Feed-in-Tariff for Electricity) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Milne —€“ AG)

Amends the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 to establish a national feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme to provide financial support for the commercialisation of prospective renewable energy technologies by providing: that the minister sets and reviews a FiT rate for renewable energy technology and a FiT levy rate to fund payments under the scheme; that qualifying generators be allowed to connect and feed into the grid; that the Renewable Energy Regulator establish a Feed-in-Tariff Register; and for the preparation and tabling of an independent report on the operation of the scheme.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

PS Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Excessive Noise from Wind Farms) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Madigan —€“ DLP and Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 to provide the Clean Energy Regulator with powers to ensure that accredited power stations that are wind farms, either in whole or in part, do not create excessive noise.

Senate: Intro. 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12); Negatived at 2nd reading 28/2/13

SBC report 9/12 (tabled and adopted 16/8/12): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report tabled 17/9/12

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 11/10/12; report tabled 28/11/12

PS Responsible Takeaway Alcohol Hours Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Fielding —€“ FFP)

Prohibits the sale of takeaway alcoholic beverages between midnight and 7.00 am on any day and imposes offences for any contravention.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/11 (tabled and adopted 25/8/11): No reference

PS Restoring Territory Rights (Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Di Natale —€“ AG)

Amends the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978, Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 and Norfolk Island Act 1979 to remove the prohibition on legalising voluntary euthanasia. Also repeals the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997.

Senate: Intro. 26/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 26/11/12

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report presented out of sitting 25/3/13

Royal Commissions Amendment Bill 2013

Amends the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to: enable the President or Chair of a multi-member Royal Commission to authorise one or more members to hold a hearing; and permit the Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to authorise members of the commission to hold private sessions.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 13/3/13

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 19/3/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Committee amendments: 7 Govt/passed

[House agreed to Senate amendments 20/3/13]

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 24, 2013

PS Safe Climate (Energy Efficient Non-Residential Buildings Scheme) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Milne —€“ AG)

Establishes an emissions intensity cap and building efficiency certificate trading scheme for non-residential buildings.

Senate: Intro. 29/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 29/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013

Amends the: Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to: provide new protections against discrimination on the basis of a person—€™s sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status; provide protection against discrimination for same-sex de facto couples; and make consequential amendments; and Migration Act 1958 to make a consequential amendment.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

PS Small Business Commissioner Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Whish-Wilson —€“ AG)

The bill: establishes the Office of the Small Business Commissioner; provides for the appointment, functions and powers of the commissioner; and includes an annual reporting requirement and a regulation making power.

Senate: Intro. 25/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 25/2/13

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report due 15/5/13

PS Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to provide for: a $40 per week supplementary payment for single parents receiving Newstart payments; and the income test for single parents receiving Newstart to be the same as the income test for single parents receiving Parenting Payment; 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 working arrangements for people with caring responsibilities, including single parents.

Senate: Intro. 13/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/3/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Consideration deferred

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support Bonus) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support Bonus) Act 2013)

Amends the Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, Farm Household Support Act 1992 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide for an income support bonus (of $105 for single people or $87.50 for most people who are an eligible member of a couple) to be paid to eligible income support recipients on a twice-yearly basis from March 2013.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 5/2/13

Senate: Intro. 6/2/13; Passed 25/2/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Assent: 5/3/13; Act No. 5, 2013

PS Social Security Legislation Amendment (Caring for People on Newstart) Bill 2013

(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 pensions and allowances; and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to provide that these payments are made from monies appropriated by the Parliament.

Senate: Intro. 7/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 7/2/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Consideration deferred

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Disaster Recovery Allowance) Bill 2013

Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to create the Disaster Recovery Allowance to provide short-term income support to individuals with a demonstrated loss of income following a major on-shore disaster; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to provide that the allowance is subject to the Beneficiary Tax Off-Set scheme.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

PS Special Broadcasting Service Amendment (Natural Program Breaks and Disruptive Advertising) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to phase out by 2016 advertising within television programs on SBS.

Senate: Intro. 27/2/12; 2nd reading adjourned 27/2/12

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): No reference

PS Special Broadcasting Service Amendment (Prohibition of Disruptive Advertising) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Ludlam —€“ AG)

Amends the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to prohibit certain advertising being shown during programs on SBS television.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Statute Law Revision Bill 2013

Amends: 39 Acts to correct technical errors and misdescribed or redundant amendments and modernise language; the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 and Inspector-General of Taxation Act 2003 to repeal provisions relating to redundant acting appointments; the Fisheries Levy Act 1984 and Fisheries Management Act 1991 to prescribe matters by reference to other instruments; 43 Acts to make amendments consequential on amendments to the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 and the enactment of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003; and 22 Acts to repeal spent and obsolete provisions. Also repeals the Air Passenger Ticket Levy (Collection) Act 2001 and Air Passenger Ticket Levy (Imposition) Act 2001.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

PS Stolen Generations Reparations Tribunal Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Siewert —€“ AG)

Establishes a Stolen Generations Reparations Tribunal to decide and make recommendations on claims for reparation.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Student Identifiers Bill 2013

Establishes a framework for the introduction of a student identifier for individuals undertaking nationally recognised vocational education and training from 1 January 2014 by: providing for how the student identifier may be assigned, collected, used and disclosed; providing for the creation of an authenticated transcript of an individual—€™s record of nationally recognised training undertaken; establishing the Student Identifiers Agency to administer the scheme; providing for the functions, powers, appointment and terms and conditions of the Chief Executive Officer of the agency; and making technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee; report due 18/6/13

Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Reducing Illegal Early Release and Other Measures) Bill 2012

Introduced with the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Unlawful Payments from Regulated Superannuation Funds) Bill 2012, the bill amends the: Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to provide for civil and criminal penalties for persons who promote a scheme that has resulted, or is likely to result, in the illegal early release of superannuation benefits; Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to require that superannuation benefits that are rolled over into self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) are captured as a designated service; and Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to provide for administrative directions and penalties for contraventions relating to SMSFs.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Consideration in detail 11/2/13

CID amendments: 2 Opp/pending

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Reform of Self Managed Superannuation Funds Supervisory Levy Arrangements) Bill 2013

Amends the: Superannuation (Self Managed Superannuation Funds) Supervisory Levy Imposition Act 1991 to: increase the maximum levy payable by a trustee of a self managed superannuation fund for an income year from $200 to $300, effective from the 2013-14 financial year; and make consequential amendments; and Superannuation (Self Managed Superannuation Funds) Taxation Act 1987 to: provide that the levy payable for a year of income is due and payable on a day specified in the regulations; and make consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; Passed 21/3/13

SC report no. 75 (tabled 14/2/13): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; report tabled in Senate 19/3/13 and House 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Service Providers and Other Governance Measures) Bill 2012

Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to require registrable superannuation entity licensees that are also responsible entities of registered managed investment schemes to comply with requirements on adequate resources and risk management systems; Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to: over-ride any provision in the governing rules of a registrable superannuation entity that requires the trustee to use a specified service provider, investment entity or financial product; enable the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to issue infringement notices for a broader range of breaches of the Act; require superannuation trustees to provide eligible persons, generally on request, with the reasons for decisions made in relation to a complaint; require persons seeking to take legal action against a director for a breach of their duties to first seek leave from the court; extend the availability of certain legal defences to directors and trustees; remove restrictions on director voting; clarify the definition of —€˜superannuation contribution—€™ to include defined benefits; and make consequential amendments; Superannuation (Resolution of Complaints) Act 1993 to increase the time limits within which beneficiaries can lodge complaints with the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal regarding total and permanent disability claims; First Home Saver Accounts Act 2008 to make consequential amendments; and Superannuation Legislation Amendment (MySuper Core Provisions) Act 2012 to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/12, 21/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; report tabled in House and Senate 5/2/13

Senate:

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2013 Measures No. 1) Bill 2013

Amends: the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Act 2007 and Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 to provide that income tax is generally not payable on the interest paid by the Commonwealth on unclaimed money from 1 July 2013; the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to: align the airline transport fringe benefits rules with the in-house property and in-house residual fringe benefit provisions; and update the method for determining the taxable value of airline transport fringe benefits; the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to enable participants in the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program to choose to make payments they derive under the program free of income tax, with expenditure related to infrastructure improvements required under the program then being non-deductible; the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to prescribe requirements for acquisitions and disposals of certain assets between self managed superannuation funds and related parties; the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Income (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: enable corporate tax entities to carry-back losses to previous income years; and make consequential amendments; and 18 Acts to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/2/13

SC report no. 75 (tabled 14/2/13): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; report tabled in Senate 19/3/13 and House 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2013 Measures No. 2) Bill 2013

Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: define —€˜documentary—€™ in accordance with the Australian Communications and Media Authority—€™s guidelines; clarify that game shows are ineligible for film tax offsets; and update the list of deductible gift recipients; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Act 2011 and Tax Laws Amendment (2012 Measures No. 1) Act 2012 to exempt from income tax certain ex-gratia payments made in relation to natural disasters during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 financial years; A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 to enable entities who currently pay their goods and services tax by instalments to continue to do so if they move into a net refund position; Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to require trustees to establish and implement procedures in relation to the consolidation of multiple member accounts; Superannuation (Government Co-contribution for Low Income Earners) Act 2003 to reduce the amount of superannuation co-contribution available from the 2012-13 financial year; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to consolidate dependency tax offsets into the Dependant (Invalid and Carer) Tax Offset from 1 July 2012; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Tax Laws Amendment (Taxation of Financial Arrangements) Act 2009 to clarify the operation of the taxation of financial arrangements regime.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to House Economics Committee

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): No reference

Tax Laws Amendment (2012 Measures No. 6) Bill 2012

Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to clarify that native title benefits are not subject to income tax (including capital gains tax); Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: update the list of deductible gift recipients; extend the immediate deductibility of exploration and prospecting expenditure provided to mining and petroleum explorers to geothermal energy explorers; and clarify that the definition of —€˜limited recourse debt—€™ includes arrangements where, in substance or effect, the debtor is not fully at risk in relation to the debt; Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 5) Act 2011 to extend the interim streaming rules for managed investment trusts until the end of the 2013-14 financial year; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 to apply an income test to the rebate for medical expenses from 1 July 2012; Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to remove the concessional fringe benefits tax treatment for in-house fringe benefits accessed by way of salary packaging arrangements; and Retirement Savings Accounts Regulations 1997, Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 and five Acts to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 18/3/13

SC report no. 73 (tabled 29/11/12): Bill referred to House Economics Committee; report tabled 11/2/13

CID amendments: 3 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 19/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 19/3/13

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Tax Laws Amendment (Countering Tax Avoidance and Multinational Profit Shifting) Bill 2013

Amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Taxation Administration Act 1953 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 in relation to: the operation of the general anti-avoidance rule; the application of the arm—€™s length principle in transfer pricing rules aligning with international transfer pricing standards; rules for trusts and partnerships; record keeping requirements and penalties; and consequential amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 13/2/13, 14/3/13

SC report no. 75 (tabled 14/2/13): Bill referred to House Economics Committee; report tabled 12/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 2/13 (tabled and adopted 28/2/13): No reference

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

PM Tax Laws Amendment (Disclosure of MRRT Information) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Mr Hockey —€“ LP)

Amends the: Minerals Resource Rent Tax Act 2012 to require the minister to prepare and present to Parliament quarterly and annual reports on the amount of minerals resource rent tax instalments paid; and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to enable taxation officers to disclose that information for the purposes of preparing the quarterly and annual reports.

House of Representatives: Intro. 18/3/13; Read a 1st time 18/3/13; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

Tax Laws Amendment (Special Conditions for Not-for-profit Concessions) Bill 2012

Amends taxation legislation to: restate the —€˜in Australia—€™ special conditions for income tax exempt entities, ensuring that they generally must be operated principally in Australia and for the broad benefit of the Australian community; standardise the other special conditions entities must meet to be income tax exempt; standardise the term —€˜not-for-profit—€™; and codify the —€˜in Australia—€™ special conditions for deductible gift recipients ensuring that they must generally operate solely in Australia, and pursue their purposes solely in Australia (with some exceptions, such as overseas aid funds and some environmental organisations).

House of Representatives: Intro. 23/8/12; 2nd reading adjourned 23/8/12

SC report no. 63 (tabled 23/8/12): Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; report tabled in House and Senate 10/9/12; corrigenda tabled in House 17/9/12 and Senate 18/9/12

Senate:

SBC report 10/12 (tabled and adopted 23/8/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report tabled 12/9/12

PS Telecommunications Amendment (Mobile Phone Towers) Bill 2011

(Introduced by Senator Bob Brown —€“ AG)

Amends the: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 to require the Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council to review certain radiofrequency exposure standards every five years, with the first review to be completed within six months of this bill commencing; and Telecommunications Act 1997 to: require certain owners and occupiers of land to be consulted when a mobile phone tower is to be installed; require the Australian Communications and Media Authority to be satisfied that the precautionary principle is taken into account when the site of a mobile phone tower is determined; remove the exemption for low-impact facilities from state and local government planning processes; remove the exemption on the application of state and territory laws; and require carriers to prepare local telecommunications network plans each financial year, for the next five years.

Senate: Intro. 14/9/11; 2nd reading adjourned 14/9/11

SBC report 1/12 (tabled and adopted 9/2/12): Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 10/5/12

Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2013

Amends the: Do Not Call Register Act 2006 to clarify which party is responsible for making telemarketing calls and sending marketing faxes where third parties are carrying out the marketing activities; Telecommunications Act 1997 to: enable industry codes to be varied; extend the application of the reimbursement scheme for developing consumer-related industry codes to varying these codes; and require code developers to publish draft code and draft variations and related public submissions; and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Services Standards) Act 1999 to: require the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) scheme to comply with standards determined by the minister; and require independent periodic public reviews of the TIO scheme to be conducted.

House of Representatives: Intro. 21/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 21/3/13

SC report no. 78 (tabled 21/3/13): Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013

Part of a package of six bills in relation to the media sector, the bill amends the Television Licence Fees Act 1964 to: reduce by 50 per cent the annual licence fee payable by commercial television broadcasting licensees, to a maximum of 4.5 per cent of gross earnings; and make consequential and technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 14/3/13; Passed 19/3/13

SC report no. 77 (tabled 14/3/13): Bill referred to House Infrastructure and Communications Committee; statement made discharging committee—€™s requirement to present a report 18/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled 14/3/13; motion to adopt report amended and agreed to 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 20/3/13

Assent: 28/3/13; Act No. 25, 2013

Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2013 Measures No. 1) Bill 2013

Amends the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to: enable the minister to specify products that are taken not to be therapeutic goods; enable the secretary to remove products that are not therapeutic goods from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods; clarify the secretary—€™s powers to approve product information for medicines accepted for registration in the register; and make amendments in relation to: compliance with advertising requirements; obtaining information and documents; use of restricted and prohibited representations in advertisements; conditions of registration or listing in the register; presentation of registered or listed goods; consent to the import, supply or export of goods; review of decisions; a package and its contents to constitute a kit; criminal offences and civil penalties for false or misleading statements in relation to variation requests; minimum notice period for cancellation of registration or listing in the register; secretary—€™s discretion to publish certain information on the department—€™s website; clarification of the merits review process; public notification and/or recall of registered or listed therapeutic goods, biologicals and medical devices; failure to comply with requirements to provide information; and specified information required for certain applications and requests.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

PS Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Pharmaceutical Transparency) Bill 2013

(Introduced by Senator Di Natale —€“ AG)

Amends the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to: create offences related to the provision of payments, services or certain other inducements to medical practitioners by pharmaceutical companies; and provide for: penalties for making such inducements; and reporting requirements.

Senate: Intro. 28/2/13; 2nd reading adjourned 28/2/13

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

PS Transport Safety Investigation Amendment (Incident Reports) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind)

Amends the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 to impose a penalty on any persons who improperly influence a —€˜responsible person—€™ reporting an incident to aviation authorities.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee 30/9/10; extensions of time to report 17/11/10, 1/3/11; interim report presented out of sitting 4/5/11 and tabled 10/5/11; extensions of time for final report 10/5/11, 15/6/11; final report tabled 23/6/11

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Veterans—€™ Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2012

Amends the: Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to clarify arrangements for the payment of travel expenses for treatment; Defence Service Homes Act 1918 to extend eligibility for benefits; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide that reimbursements made under the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the MRCA Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are exempt from income tax; Social Security Act 1991 to provide that certain bereavement payments in respect of indigent veterans or members are exempt income for the purposes of the social security income test; Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to: align maintenance income and attendant allowance provisions with those in the Social Security Act 1991; provide for provision of special assistance by inclusion in a legislative instrument; clarify administrative arrangements for certain travel; and clarify that debt recovery provisions apply to all provisions of the Act, the regulations and any legislative instrument made under the Act; War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920 to: amend the long and short titles of the Act; and repeal inoperative provisions; and Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment (Schoolkids Bonus Budget Measures) Act 2012, Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 27/6/12; Passed 22/8/12

2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 22/8/12; 2nd reading adjourned 22/8/12

SBC report 8/12 (tabled and adopted 29/6/12 a.m. (Journals 28/6/12)): No reference

Veterans—€™ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Military Compensation Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013

Amends: the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 in relation to rehabilitation and transition management; the Military, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 in relation to: the date of effect for periodic impairment compensation; the inclusion of a lifestyle factor in the calculation of interim permanent impairment compensation; recalculation of permanent impairment compensation for certain people; an increase to the rate of periodic compensation payable for dependent children; expansion of the eligibility criteria for the special rate disability pension; superannuation; remittal power of the Veterans—€™ Review Board; increase in the membership of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission; and access to rehabilitation and compensation for certain categories of persons; the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to increase the compensation for financial advice and cover legal advice; five Acts to: expand the lump sum compensation options for wholly dependent partners of deceased members; and require that eligible claims for existing conditions aggravated by defence service on or after 1 July 2004 be determined under the Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986; the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to issue Repatriation Health Cards (for specific conditions) to certain eligible persons; the Aged Care Act 1997, Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006, Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to clarify the appropriation of costs for certain aged care services; the Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to extend the entitlement for travelling expenses to the partner of certain eligible persons; the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to clarify administrative arrangements for the nomination of bank accounts for payments; and the Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to make technical amendments.

House of Representatives: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

Senate:

SBC report 4/13 (tabled and adopted 21/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; report due 14/5/13

Veterans—€™ Entitlements Amendment (Claims for Travel Expenses) Bill 2010

Amends the Veterans—€™ Entitlements Act 1986 to extend the time period for lodging a claim for non-treatment related travel expenses to 12 months and enable further extensions of time in exceptional circumstances.

House of Representatives: Intro. 28/9/10; Read a 1st time 28/9/10; 2nd reading order of day for next sitting

SC report no. 3 (tabled 21/10/10): No reference

PS Water Amendment (Save the Murray-Darling Basin) Bill 2012

(Introduced by Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Amends the Water Act 2007 in relation to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to: require climate change to be taken into account; not allow ground water extraction to occur unless certain conditions have been met; specify environmental outcomes; require Murray-Darling Basin Authority water recovery indicator targets to be met as far as possible; and require all modelling and analysis to be published.

Senate: Intro. 27/11/12; 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/12

SBC report 16/12 (tabled and adopted 29/11/12): No reference

Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012

(Act citation: Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Act 2013)

Further to the Water Amendment (Long-term Average Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment) Bill 2012, the bill amends the Water Act 2007 to: establish the Water for the Environment Special Account for a 10-year period from the 2014-15 financial year to acquire additional environmental water entitlement and to remove constraints on the efficient use of environmental water for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan; and provide for two independent reviews to be conducted in 2019 and 2021.

House of Representatives: Intro. 31/10/12; Passed 28/11/12

SC report no. 72 (tabled 1/11/12): Bill referred to House Regional Australia Committee; report tabled 28/11/12

CID amendments: 7 Govt/passed; 15 Opp/negatived

Senate: Intro. 29/11/12; Passed 7/2/13

SBC report 14/12 (tabled and adopted 1/11/12): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report tabled 19/11/12

Committee amendments: 6 Nats/negatived; 25 AG/negatived; 5 Ind (Xenophon)/negatived

Assent: 15/2/13; Act No. 3, 2013

PS Water (Crisis Powers and Floodwater Diversion) Bill 2010

(Introduced by Senator Xenophon —€“ Ind and Senator Hanson-Young —€“ AG)

Enables the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to manage the water resources of the basin as a single system during periods of extreme crisis.

Senate: Intro. 30/9/10; 2nd reading adjourned 30/9/10

SBC report 11/10 (tabled and adopted 30/9/10): No reference

Reference: Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 26/10/10; report tabled 18/11/10

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Amendment (Registration Fees) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Bill 2013, the bill amends the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 to enable fees to be collected and administered by the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme Regulator.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Bill 2013

Introduced with the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Amendment (Registration Fees) Bill 2013, the bill provides for the recovery of costs for the administration of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme through taxes, in the form of fees for applying for registration.

House of Representatives: Intro. 13/3/13; Passed 20/3/13

Senate: Intro. 20/3/13; 2nd reading adjourned 20/3/13

SBC report 3/13 (tabled and adopted 14/3/13): Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; report due 17/6/13

PS Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011 (No. 2)

(Introduced by Senator Scullion —€“ CLP)

Provides that the development or use of Aboriginal land in a wild river area cannot be regulated under the Wild Rivers Act 2005 (Qld) without the written agreement of the land owner.

Senate: Intro. 10/2/11; In committee 12/5/11

SBC report 1/11 (tabled and adopted 10/2/11): No reference

2nd reading am