Bills and Legislation

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Date: 18 Jun 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: STEELE-JOHN, Sen Jordon
Summary: Amends the
Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918
and
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
to: lower the minimum (non-compulsory) voting age in Australian federal elections and referenda from 18 to 16 years; allow 14 and 15 year olds to be added to the electoral roll in preparation for their eligibility to vote at 16 years of age; provide for 16 and 17 year olds to be included in the certified list of voters (but not to be given a penalty notice if they do not vote); and provide that an eligible voter, who is not yet on the electoral roll or enrolled at their correct address, is able to cast a provisional vote on election day.

Date: 14 Aug 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: PATRICK, Sen Rex
Summary: Amends the
Intelligence Services Act 2001
to expand the functions of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to include reviewing the activities of Australia’s national security and intelligence agencies, subject to certain exclusions.

Date: 22 Aug 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: PATRICK, Sen Rex
Summary: Amends the:
Archives Act 1983
to require the reporting of external legal expenses incurred by the National Archives of Australia;
Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010
to: ensure that the Information Commissioner holds specified qualifications; and require the separate appointment of the Australian Information Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Commissioner; and
Freedom of Information Act 1982
to: enable the transfer of Information Commissioner reviewable decisions to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT); require the consistent application of exemptions by decision makers in the context of a review by the Information Commissioner; prevent the Information Commissioner from making FOI decisions if he or she does not hold specified qualifications; prevent agencies from publishing FOI information until at least 10 days after the applicant has received his or her copy of the information; and require the reporting of external legal expenses for each Information Commission or AAT FOI matter that has concluded.

Date: 23 Aug 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: DI NATALE, Sen Richard
Summary: The bill: enshrines the principles of diversity and multiculturalism; establishes the Australian Multicultural Commission and provides for its functions, powers, constitution, operation and inquiries; and provides for annual reporting requirements for Commonwealth entities.

Date: 16 Oct 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: DI NATALE, Sen Richard
Summary: Amends the:
Sex Discrimination Act 1984
to remove the exemption for religious educational institutions to discriminate against students and teachers on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital or relationship status or pregnancy; and
Fair Work Act 2009
to ensure that religious exemptions from anti-discrimination provisions do not extend to educational institutions.

Date: 14 Nov 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: CAMERON, Sen Doug
Summary: Amends the
Fair Work Act 2009
to: provide that modern awards cannot be varied to reduce penalty rates or the hours to which penalties rates apply if the variation is likely to result in a reduction in the take-home pay of an employee; and provide that any such determination by the Fair Work Commission made on or after 21 June 2017 is of no effect.

Date: 15 Nov 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: FARUQI, Sen Mehreen
Summary: Amends the
Australian Research Council Act 2001
to remove ministerial discretion in relation to the approval of research grants administered by the Australian Research Council.

Date: 27 Nov 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: DI NATALE, Sen Richard
Summary: Establishes the Australian Cannabis Agency to regulate the production and distribution of recreational cannabis in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

Date: 05 Dec 2018
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: WATERS, Sen Larissa
Summary: Prohibits the mining of thermal coal in the Galilee Basin in Queensland.

Date: 12 Feb 2019
Chamber: Senate
Status: Before Senate
Sponsor: STEELE-JOHN, Sen Jordon
Summary: Amends the
Broadcasting Services Act 1992
to: require national broadcasters, commercial television broadcasting licensees and subscription television licensees to provide a minimum number of hours of television audio description per week; and provide for the Australian Communications and Media Authority to enforce and review the new requirement.

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