ABBREVIATIONS — parties and committees
| AG | Australian Greens | LNP | Liberal National Party of Queensland [Opp] |
| ALP | Australian Labor Party [Govt] | LP | Liberal Party of Australia [Opp] |
| CA | Centre Alliance | Nats | The Nationals [Opp] |
| CLP | Country Liberal Party [Opp] | PHON | Pauline Hanson—s One Nation |
| Ind | Independent | SBC | Senate Selection of Bills Committee |
| JLN | Jacqui Lambie Network | SC | House of Representatives Selection Committee |
| KAP | Katter—s Australia Party | UAP | United Australia Party |
(Act citation: Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Amendment (Strengthening Land and Governance Provisions) Act 2023)
(Indigenous Australians portfolio)
Amends: the Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986 to: amend the title of the Act to the Aboriginal Land and Waters (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986; exempt certain leases granted by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council from the application of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT); increase the payment amount at which the council is required to seek approval from the minister before entering into a contract; amend the council—s governance structure and decision making powers to align more closely with other corporate Commonwealth entities; remove the requirement for the council to enter into an agreement to lease with the Director of National Parks before land in the Booderee National Park can be declared as Aboriginal land; clarify that the functions of the council relate only to registered members and eligible children; and update the wording of the term —physical or mental incapacity—; and eight Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 26/10/22
- Passed 29/11/22
Senate:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Committee amendments: 4 Govt agreed to
- Passed 10/8/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 10/8/23
Assent: 21/8/23 (Act No. 57, 2023)
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Amends the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 in relation to references to a person or member of the Aboriginal race of Australia or a descendant of an indigenous habitant of Australia or the Torres Strait Islands.
Senate:
- Introduced 11/5/23
- Negatived at 1st reading 11/5/23, 14/6/23
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Introduced with the Administrative Review Tribunal (Consequential and Transitional Provisions No. 1) Bill 2023, the bill establishes the Administrative Review Tribunal as a replacement for the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Also re-establishes the Administrative Review Council.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/12/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/12/23
- Bill referred to House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs 14/12/23
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Introduced with the Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2023, the bill: abolishes the Administrative Appeals Tribunal by repealing the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975; and makes amendments to 138 Acts consequential on the establishment of the Administrative Review Tribunal.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/12/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/12/23
- Bill referred to House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs 14/12/23
(Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to: require gambling companies to report to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre if they have reason to suspect a person is paying for gambling services with money obtained illegally; and enable the Federal Court to make compensation orders where gambling companies have provided gambling services to a person who they suspect has paid for the gambling service using money obtained illegally.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 5/9/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 21/3/23
(Finance portfolio)
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 Supply Act (No. 1) 2022-2023, Supply Act (No. 3) 2022-2023 and Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2022-2023.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 16/6/23
Assent: 19/6/23 (Act No. 20, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure, in addition to the appropriations provided for by the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023, Supply Act (No. 4) 2022-2023 and Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2022-2023.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 16/6/23
Assent: 19/6/23 (Act No. 21 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the ordinary annual services of the government.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 16/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 31, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 16/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 32, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Appropriates additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the parliamentary departments, in addition to appropriations provided for by the Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2022-2023, Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2022-2023.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 16/6/23
Assent: 19/6/23 (Act No. 22, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the parliamentary departments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/5/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 16/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 30, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, Corporations Act 2001, Judiciary Act 1903, National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to confer jurisdiction on the Federal Court of Australia to hear and determine a range of summary and indictable offences relating to conduct within the remit of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission; Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to enable the Sheriff of the Federal Court to require a state or territory jury official to prepare and provide a jury panel; Marriage Act 1961 to make technical amendments in relation to the Commonwealth Marriage Celebrants Program and the notice of intended marriage; and Family Law Act 1975, Native Title Act 1993, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 and Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to make minor and technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 15/11/23, 28/11/23
- Federation Chamber: Referred 28/11/23
Senate:
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Gives effect to certain elements of the Government—s National Cultural Policy by amending the: Australia Council Act 2013 to: enable the transfer of the functions of Creative Partnerships Australia Ltd to the Australia Council and provide that it may operate as either the Australia Council or Creative Australia; and clarify the constitutional basis for the Act; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to remove Creative Partnerships as a deductible gift recipient.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/2/23
- Passed 8/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- Passed 23/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 15, 2023)
(Mr Pike — LNP)
Declares Australia Day as the national day of Australia to be observed on 26 January each year.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 14/11/23
(Senator Cash — LP)
Provides that the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Act 2022 (ACT) has no force or effect as a law of the Australian Capital Territory.
Senate:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- Negatived at 2nd reading 19/10/23
(Senator Canavan — Nats)
Amends the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 to require the Australian Capital Territory Government to conduct an inquiry into the Health Infrastructure Enabling Act 2023 (ACT) and report by 30 June 2024.
Senate:
- Introduced 19/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 22/6/23 (SBC report no. 7 of 2023); extension of time to report 8/8/23; report tabled 6/9/23
- Negatived at 2nd reading 13/9/23
(Home Affairs portfolio)
In response to the High Court—s judgments in Alexander v Minister for Home Affairs [2022] HCA 19 and Benbrika v Minister for Home Affairs [2023] HCA 33, the bill amends the: Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to remove certain invalid provisions and enable the minister to make an application to request that a court exercise its power to make an order to cease a dual citizen—s Australian citizenship, where the person has been convicted of a serious offence or offences; Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 and Intelligence Services Act 2001 to provide for reviews; and Surveillance Devices Act 2004 to make a consequential amendment.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Tink) to Opp negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Daniel) to Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 29/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp agreed to
- Committee amendments: 5 Opp negatived; 3 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived; 6 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 6/12/23
Assent: 7/12/23 (Act No. 109, 2023)
(Senator Allman-Payne — AG)
Amends the Australian Education Act 2013 to: redefine the Commonwealth share of funding for a government school to 25%; and introduce an obligation on the minister to be satisfied when determining the Commonwealth share that it is consistent with the objective that every school-aged child in Australia has access to a fully-funded government school.
Senate:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 14/9/23
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Amends the: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Act 2008 to require the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority to ensure that school education provides a balanced presentation of opposing views on political, historical and scientific issues; and Australian Education Act 2013 to make financial assistance to a state or territory conditional on the state or territory having certain laws in force.
Senate:
- Introduced 10/2/20
- 2nd reading adjourned 10/2/20, 31/8/20
- Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 10/12/20 (SBC report no. 12 of 2020); report presented out of sitting 5/7/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 3/8/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 23/11/22
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 to insert a modified —equal access— cost protection provision in relation to federal unlawful discrimination court proceedings; and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 and Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 15/11/23, 28/11/23
- Federation Chamber: Referred 28/11/23; 2nd reading adjourned 7/12/23; bill to be returned to House with unresolved question 7/12/23
Senate:
(Defence portfolio)
Introduced with the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill establishes a framework to regulate the nuclear safety aspects of Australia—s nuclear-powered submarine enterprise.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/11/23
Senate:
(Defence portfolio)
Introduced with the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023, the bill enables certain licences issued by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency to be treated as Australian naval nuclear power safety licences for the purposes of the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Act 2023.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/11/23
Senate:
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority Act 2008 to enable the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, DonateLife Agencies, grant recipients and authorised family members to publish, disseminate or disclose information about deceased organ or tissue donors or recipients without breaching state or territory legislation.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 24/5/23
- Passed 1/6/23
Senate:
Assent: 21/8/23 (Act No. 58, 2023)
(Education portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Research Council Act 2001 to: amend the object of the act in relation to the role and mission of the Australian Research Council (ARC); establish the Australian Research Council Board; amend the current funding arrangements; specify new requirements for the ARC annual report; and enable the minister to make transitional rules.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
Senate:
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Security Intelligence Organisations Act 1979 to: provide the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) with additional security vetting and security clearance functions, includin3 to make security clearance decisions for ASIO and non-ASIO personnel and conduct security vetting and assessment on an ongoing basis, to communicate with a sponsoring agency in relation to the ongoing suitability of a person to hold a security clearance, to furnish security clearance suitability assessments (SCSAs), and to assume responsibility for a security clearance granted to a person by another security vetting agency; enable ASIO and security clearance sponsors to share certain information; and provide for internal, independent and external merits review of ASIO—s SCSAs and security clearance decisions; Office of National Intelligence Act 2018 to enable the Office of National Intelligence to provide quality assurance, reporting, advice and assistance in relation to the highest-level of security clearances issued by the Commonwealth; Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 to enable security clearance decisions and SCSAs to be reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 to update a cross reference.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 30/3/23; report tabled in House of Representatives and Senate 13/6/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 16/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 33, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Bankruptcy Act 1966 to regularise and validate the administrative processes of the Australian Financial Security Authority and its predecessors in relation to determining when a statement of affairs is taken to have been filed for the purposes of a debtor—s petition or as required in relation to a sequestration order; and Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 to align the dates that the Official Receiver is required to enter in the National Personal Insolvency Index with the amendments to the Bankruptcy Act 1966.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/11/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 22/11/23 (Act No. 94, 2023)
(Agriculture. Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Amends the Biosecurity Act 2015 to: enable the Director of Biosecurity to require each person who intends to enter, or enters, Australian territory on an incoming aircraft or vessel to provide information and produce a passport or other travel document for the purpose of assessing the level of biosecurity risk associated with the person and any goods that the person has with them; enable the director to scan any passport or travel document so produced and collect and retain personal information; create a civil penalty provision for persons who do not comply with the requirement to produce a passport or travel document; introduce a procedural fairness requirement for the relevant director to give notice of a proposed variation to the biosecurity industry participant covered by an approved arrangement and invite the participant to given a written submission within 14 days in relation to the proposed variation; streamline existing notice requirements in relation to a proposed suspension or revocation of an approved arrangement; introduce an alternative sanction of a reprimand which may be given if the relevant director does not consider it appropriate to vary, suspend or revoke an approved arrangement after receiving the biosecurity industry participant—s written submission; increase civil penalties for certain contraventions or failure to comply with certain requirements; make a technical amendment to clarify the Act—s intent; and insert new strict liability offences.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 21/6/23
- Passed 2/8/23
Senate:
Assent: 13/9/23 (Act No. 62, 2023)
(Ms Watson-Brown — AG)
The bill: imposes a curfew and certain related restrictions on aircraft movements at Brisbane Airport; provides for the development of a long term operating plan for managing aircraft movements and airspace at Brisbane Airport; and provides for consultation procedures in certain circumstances. Also makes consequential amendments to the Airports Act 1996 and National Emergency Declaration Act 2020.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/10/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/10/23
(Senator Steele-John — AG)
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.
Senate:
- Introduced 12/2/19
- 2nd reading adjourned 12/2/19
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 46th Parliament 1/7/19
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 4/7/19
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Senator Henderson — LP)
Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to ban gambling advertisements during the broadcast of live sporting events on television, radio and live streaming and for one hour before and after the event.
Senate:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 14/6/23, 21/6/23, 22/6/23
(Dr Scamps — Ind)
Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to prohibit the broadcasting of marketing relating to certain food or drink products on television and radio broadcasting services, and online services.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 19/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 19/6/23
(Ms Daniel — Ind)
Amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to: prohibit the broadcasting of gambling advertisements on certain television and radio broadcasting services; and prohibit the provision of gambling advertisements on certain online content services
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/5/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 28/11/23
(Senator Antic — LP, Senator Canavan — Nats, Senator Roberts — PHON and Senator Babet — UAP)
The bill: prohibits health practitioners from performing gender clinical interventions intended to transition a minor—s biological sex, subject to limited exemptions; and prohibits the Commonwealth from entering into arrangements involving the expenditure or payment of money that provides or facilitates the provision of such a procedure or treatment.
Senate:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 18/10/23
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the: Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to: enable content providers to use accredited classifiers to self-classify film and computer game content; extend the powers of the Classification Board to quality assure industry self-classification decisions, including revocation of those decisions as necessary; enable the Classification Board to publish a list of approved words and phrases to use in consumer advice, along with guidance on their appropriate use; expand classification exemptions to include films in languages other than English distributed through public libraries; broaden the application of conditional cultural exemptions for classifiable content to include routine exhibitions at approved cultural institutions; and enable certain content that has already been classified under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to be deemed as classified for distribution on other platforms, where no substantial changes have been made to the classifiable content; and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 14 Govt agreed to
- Passed 9/8/23
Senate:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 4/9/23
Assent: 14/9/23 (Act No. 65, 2023)
(Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 to: require the Classification Board to classify computer games which contain —loot boxes— as either R 18+ or RC; and require a warning to displayed when games contain loot boxes or similar features.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 28/11/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 1/8/23
(Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Climate Change Act 2022 to: require decision-makers to consider the health and wellbeing of children in Australia when making significant decisions; and require decision-makers not to make significant decisions in relation to the exploration or extraction of coal, oil or natural gas if the decision poses a material risk of harm to the health and wellbeing of children in Australia.
Senate:
- Introduced 3/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 3/8/23
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 3/8/23 (SBC report no. 8 of 2023); extension of time to report 7/8/23; report due 1/3/24
(Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio)
Amends the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 and 23 other Acts to update references to COAG and Ministerial Councils to reflect the cessation of the Council of Australian Governments and changes to intergovernmental architecture.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
(Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: prohibit political donations from the fossil fuel industry, property developers, the tobacco industry, the banking industry, liquor and gambling businesses, pharmaceutical companies and representative organisations for these industries; impose a cumulative limit on political donations from any source of $3,000 per election term; and extend the definition of —gift— to include subscription and membership fees, as well as attendance at fundraising events.
Senate:
- Introduced 24/11/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/22, 1/12/22
(Mr Wilkie — Ind)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: lower the donation disclosure threshold from $13,800 to $1,000 for individual donations and require aggregation under the threshold; expand the definition of —gift—; introduce a cap of $50,000 on the total amount of donations a donor can provide during an electoral cycle; require real-time disclosure by gift recipients to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) within two business days of the donation threshold being reached or exceeded; require the AEC to publish donation returns by reporting entities on the Transparency Register as soon as reasonably practicable; introduce an electoral expenditure cap to limit the amount of money that can be spent on federal election campaigns; prohibit political donations from particular industries, including fossil fuel entities, gambling companies, liquor companies and the tobacco industry; and increase certain penalties for corporations.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/2/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 5/9/23
(Ms Sharkie — CA)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: lower the political donation disclosure threshold from $16,300 to $1,000 and remove the indexation of the disclosure threshold; and expand the definition of —gift— to include electoral expenditure and gift-in-kind to a political entity where the value is over $1,000 and include amounts paid to attend political fundraisers or functions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 4/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 4/9/23
(Senator Steele-John — AG)
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.
Senate:
- Introduced 18/6/18
- 2nd reading adjourned 18/6/18, 21/6/18
- Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 25/6/18; extensions of time to report 20/9/18, 28/11/18; report presented out of sitting 29/3/19; report tabled in House of Representatives 2/4/19
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 46th Parliament 1/7/19
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 4/7/19
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- Discharged from Notice Paper 8/2/23
(Ms Sharkie — CA)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: require political parties, state branches of political parties, significant third parties and candidates to provide a notice to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) of political donations received over the disclosure threshold amount of $13,800 within 5 business days of receiving the donation; and require annual returns to be provided to the AEC where political donations made by a single person exceeds the annual disclosure threshold amount.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 4/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 4/9/23
(Ms Steggall — Ind)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 13/11/23
(Ms Steggall — Ind)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to: prohibit misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter; prohibit persons or bodies corporate from deceptively impersonating, or falsely attributing material to, a person, candidate, campaigner, political party or entity; and give the Australian Electoral Commissioner the power to investigate possible breaches, order retractions, publish corrections, and pursue complaints through the courts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 28/11/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 1/8/23
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 to establish a framework to regulate the accessibility and prominence of free-to-air television services on certain internet connected television devices supplied in Australia; and Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to expand the anti-siphoning scheme to include online services.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
Senate:
(Senator Dean Smith — LP and Senator McKenzie — Nats)
The bill: amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to require the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to continue its price monitoring of domestic air passenger transport services and related goods and services for 3 years; and repeals the Competition and Consumer (Price Monitoring—Domestic Air Passenger Transport) Direction 2020.
Senate:
- Introduced 12/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 12/9/23, 8/11/23
(Attorney-General's portfolio)
Proposes an alteration to the Constitution to recognise First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- Bill referred to Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum 30/3/23; report presented to Senate out of sitting 12/5/23; report tabled in House of Representatives 22/5/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Mr Leeser negatived
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived; 2 Senator Colbeck negatived
- Passed 19/6/23
[The bill was passed by an absolute majority of each House of the Parliament. The proposal was not approved at the subsequent referendum on 14 October 2023.]
(Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Copyright Act 1968 to remove restrictions limiting the Copyright Tribunal from: determining the amount payable to copyright owners, in respect of published sound recordings, to one per cent of the commercial broadcaster—s gross earnings; and determining the amount payable by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from to copyright owners, in respect of published sound recordings, to an amount not exceeding 0.5 cents per head of the Australian population.
Senate:
- Introduced 3/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 3/8/23, 9/8/23
- Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 10/8/23 (SBC report no. 9 of 2023); report due 20/6/24
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Crimes Act 1914 to: extend the sunset date for certain police powers in relation to terrorism; impose certain requirements on the minister and the Australian Federal Police Commissioner in relation to prescribed security zones; and require a police officer exercising certain powers to inform a person of their right to make a complaint; and Criminal Code Act 1995 to: extend the sunset date for the control order and preventative detention order (PDO) regimes; limit the power to issues control orders to the Federal Court of Australia; align control order conditions with extended supervision conditions; enable the variation of a control order by consent; limit the classes of persons who may be appointed as an issuing authority for PDOs to superior court judges; provide for annual report requirements; and extend the operation of provisions in relation to unauthorised disclosure of information by Commonwealth officers. Also makes consequential amendments to 3 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 10/8/23; report tabled in House of Representatives and Senate 19/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Govt agreed to
- Passed 19/10/23
Senate:
- Introduced 6/11/23
- Passed 14/11/23
Assent: 24/11/23 (Act No. 96, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Crimes Act 1914 and Criminal Code Act 1995 to: establish criminal offences for the public display of prohibited Nazi and Islamic State symbols and the trading of goods that bear a prohibited Nazi or Islamic State symbol; establish criminal offences for using a carriage service for violent extremist material and possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service; Criminal Code Act 1995 to: expand the offence of advocating terrorism to include instructing on the doing of a terrorist act and praising the doing of a terrorist act in specified circumstances; and increase the maximum penalty for the offence of advocating terrorism from 5 to 7 years imprisonment; and Criminal Code Act 1995 and Legislation (Exemptions and Other Matters) Regulation 2015 to remove the sunsetting requirement for instruments which list terrorist organisations and bolster safeguards.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 21/6/23; report tabled in House of Representatives 15/11/23 and Senate 16/11/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 34 Govt agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 30/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 4/12/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 6 AG negatived; 3 PHON negatived
- Passed 6/12/23
Assent: 11/12/23 (Act No. 113, 2023)
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Prohibits discrimination based on a person—s COVID-19 vaccination status by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, statutory authorities, local governments, and private enterprises.
Senate:
- Introduced 29/11/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/22
- Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); extension of time to report 15/6/23; report presented out of sitting 25/8/23
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Introduced with the Creative Australia (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill establishes Creative Australia by providing for the body corporate previously known as the Australia Council to continue in existence under the name Creative Australia with expanded functions, responsibilities and a new governance structure.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 1/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Passed 16/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 24, 2023)
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Introduced with the Creative Australia Bill 2023, the bill: repeals the Australia Council Act 2013; and provides for transitional provisions relating to the establishment of Creative Australia.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 1/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Passed 16/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 25, 2023)
(Attorney-General's portfolio)
Amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to: clarify the application of civil penalties to ongoing failure to enrol with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) before providing a designated service; allow automated decision-making for certain decisions; and reinstate protections on the use and disclosure of sensitive AUSTRAC information in connection with courts and tribunal proceedings; Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 to relocate a penalty for non compliance with the provision to which it relates; Crimes Act 1914 to: replace references to —judicial officer— with —bail authority—; and make minor amendments to rectify incorrect referencing; Criminology Research Act 1971 to provide that the appointment of the Commonwealth representative to the Criminology Research Advisory Council can be made by designation of a position; Foreign Evidence Act 1994 to make technical amendments relating to the use of foreign material in Australian proceedings; International Transfer of Prisoners Act 1997 to: provide that the Attorney-General may refuse consent to a request or application for transfer to or from Australia at an earlier stage in the process; and make minor technical amendments; Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1987 to expand the existing mandatory ground of refusal regarding torture; Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to expand the matters on which jurisdictional public interest monitors can make submissions; and Witness Protection Act 1994 to: ensure that past participants of Australian Federal Police (AFP) witness protection programs are covered by the Act; enable participants to be temporarily suspended from the National Witness Protection Program where the AFP is unable to provide them with protection or assistance; and make minor and technical amendments. Also amends five Acts to update references to the South Australian Independent Commission Against Corruption.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Passed 11/5/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 10/5/23; report tabled 14/6/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 6 Govt agreed to; 5 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 4/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 4/9/23
Assent: 13/9/23 (Act No. 63, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Crimes Act 1914 to clarify the Attorney-General—s duty to make, or refuse to make, a parole order after the non-parole period has ended; Criminal Code Act 1995, Customs Act 1901 and Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to enhance import controls on substances that are commonly used as illicit drugs and precursors but which also have legitimate uses in industry (dual-use substances). Also validates things done in reliance on certain authorisations or determinations by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Board.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/11/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 27/11/23 (Act No. 98, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: extend the foreign bribery offence to include the bribery of candidates for public office and bribery conducted to obtain a personal advantage; remove the requirement that a benefit or business advantage be —not legitimately due— and replace it with the concept of —improperly influencing— a foreign public official; remove the requirement that the foreign public official be influenced in the exercise of their official duties; clarify that the foreign bribery offence does not require the prosecution to prove that the accused had a specific business, or business or personal advantage, in mind, and that the business, or business or personal advantage, can be obtained for someone else; and create an offence of failure of a body corporate to prevent foreign bribery by an associate; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to preserve the existing rule which prohibits a person from claiming as a deduction for a loss or outgoing a bribe to a foreign public official.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- Passed 5/9/23
Senate:
(Mrs Andrews — LP)
Amends the: Criminal Code Act 1995 to: amend the geographical jurisdiction provision for computer offences; introduce standalone offences for extortive conduct associated with ransomware and dealing with data obtained by unauthorised access or modification; introduce aggravated offences relating to cyber attacks on critical infrastructure assets and producing, supplying or obtaining data under arrangement for payment; and increase maximum penalties for certain other computer offences; Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to ensure that existing information gathering powers and freezing orders in relation to financial institutions can also be exercised in relation to digital currency exchanges; and Crime Act 1914 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to ensure that law enforcement agencies can seize digital assets (including cryptocurrency) discovered during the execution of a warrant and suspected to be proceeds of crime.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 26/9/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 28/3/23
(Senator Antic — LP)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to introduce three new offences relating to the incitement of trespass, property damage or theft and unlawful obstruction of traffic in central business districts and other centres of significant business or cultural activity in Australia.
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 8/2/23
(Senator Cash — LP)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to prohibit a person from knowingly, and without reasonable excuse, displaying a Nazi symbol.
Senate:
- Introduced 23/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 23/3/23
- Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 27/3/23; extension of time to report 30/3/23; report presented out of sitting 18/5/23
(Mr Leeser — LP)
Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to prohibit a person from knowingly, and without reasonable excuse, displaying a Nazi symbol.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/5/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 28/11/23
Crown References Amendment Bill 2023
(Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio)
Amends 29 Acts to update certain references associated with the Crown to reflect the accession of a new Sovereign.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendment: 1 KAP negatived
- Passed 27/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 27/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/23
(Senator Steele-John — AG)
Amends the Customs Act 1901 to prohibit the importation into Australia of goods that are produced in whole or in part by forced labour.
Senate:
- Introduced 22/11/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 22/11/22
(Prime Minister's portfolio)
Amends the Customs Act 1901 to remove a duplicate definition.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 26/7/22
- Read a 1st time 26/7/22
(Senator Roberts — PHON)
Amends the Customs Act 1901 to prohibit a person from importing goods involving child labour into Australia in certain circumstances where the importer has not complied with a notice in relation to the goods.
Senate:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
(Senator Faruqi — AG)
Amends the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 and Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 to prohibit the export and import of greyhounds for racing, breeding and commercial purposes.
Senate:
- Introduced 1/9/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 1/9/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 11/5/23 (SBC report no. 5 of 2023); extension of time to report 16/6/23; report tabled 19/10/23
(Act citation: Customs Legislation Amendment (Controlled Trials and Other Measures) Act 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Customs Act 1901 to establish a framework to facilitate time-limited trials of trade and customs practices and technologies, with approved entities, in a controlled regulatory environment; Australian Border Force Act 2015 to provide that the Comptroller-General of Customs— powers to make rules in relation to controlled trials cannot be delegated; and Customs Act 1901, Customs Regulations 2015 and Customs Tariff Act 1995 to make technical amendments to customs legislation, including to provide that Notices of Intention to Propose Customs Tariff Alterations will not be subject to disallowance under the Legislation Act 2003.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Passed 9/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- Committee amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Passed 5/9/23
Assent: 14/9/23 (Act No. 66, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to: provide for an increase in customs duties for goods that are the produce or manufacture of Russia or Belarus imported into Australian between 25 April 2022 and 24 October 2023; provide for a free rate of customs duty for certain goods that are the produce or manufacture of Ukraine imported between 4 July 2022 and 3 July 2023; permanently extend the free rate of customs duty for certain prescribed medical products and hygiene products; provide for a free rate of customs duty for certain electric and low emission vehicles with a customs value less than the luxury car tax threshold imported into Australia on or after 1 July 2022; and correct tariff references for blood-grouping reagents and herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators following their reclassification.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 29/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 34, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to: provide that goods covered by the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the European Space Agency for a Co-operative Space Vehicle Tracking Program are eligible for a free rate of customs duty; extend for a further year the free rate of customs duty for certain goods that are the produce or manufacture of Ukraine; provide a free rate of customs duty for certain goods that are imported for use in connection with an international sporting event; and extend for a further 2 years the increase in customs duties for imported goods that are the produce or manufacture of Russia or Belarus.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Introduced with the Excise Tariff Amendment (Product Stewardship for Oil) Bill 2023, the bill amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to: increase the specific rate of customs duty imposed on the import of petroleum based oils and their synthetic equivalents from 8.5 cents to 14.2 cents per litre or kilogram; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Customs Tariff Amendment (Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Act 2022.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 1/6/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 25/5/23; report tabled 13/6/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 35, 2023)
(Senator Steele-John — AG)
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to require parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Australian Defence Force.
Senate:
- Introduced 7/12/20
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/12/20, 30/8/21
- Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 2/9/21 (SBC report no. 11 of 2021); report tabled 30/11/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- Negatived at 2nd reading 29/3/23
(Defence portfolio)
Amends the Defence Act 1903 to establish a framework to regulate the work that certain former defence staff members (foreign work restricted individuals) can perform without a foreign work authorisation; and the training that Australian citizens and permanent residents, other than foreign restricted individuals, may provide without a foreign work authorisation.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 14/9/23
(Senator Fawcett — LP)
The bill: establishes the Defence Capability Assurance Agency as an statutory authority to conduct capability assurance of defence materiel programs and establish a qualified workforce to conduct test and evaluation and risk assessments for defence materiel programs; establishes the Inspector-General of Defence Capability Assurance to provide oversight of the Defence Department, the Defence Force and the Defence Capability Assurance Agency; and establishes the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence to provide oversight of the performance of the Defence Capability Assurance Agency and the Inspector-General and review and report on matters relating to the defence of Australia and defence agencies.
Senate:
- Introduced 10/5/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 10/5/23, 7/12/23
- Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 11/5/23 (SBC report no. 5 of 2023); extensions of time to report 7/9/23, 19/10/23; report presented out of sitting 24/11/23
(Defence portfolio)
Amends the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to enable the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and the Minister for the Environment and Water to perform their respective regulatory functions in relation to Australia—s acquisition and operation of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines and their supporting infrastructure and facilities.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 48, 2023)
(Defence portfolio)
Amends the Defence Trade Controls Act 2012 to: regulate the supply of certain military or dual-use goods and technology on the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) from Australia to certain foreign persons both within and outside of Australia; regulate the provision of services in relation to DSGL Part 1 military goods or technology to foreign persons or entities; and remove the requirement to obtain a permit for supplies of certain DSGL goods and technology and the provision of certain DSGL services to the United Kingdom or the United States.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Senator Bragg — LP)
Implements certain recommendations of the final report of the Senate Select Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre by: providing for a framework for digital asset exchanges, digital asset custody services and the issuing of stablecoins; requiring authorised deposit-taking institutions to comply with certain reporting requirements in relation to designated central bank digital currency; and providing for additional duties of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services in relation to the regulation of activities relating to digital assets and designated central bank digital currency.
Senate:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/3/23, 6/9/23, 15/11/23
- Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 30/3/23 (SBC report no. 4 of 2023); progress report presented out of sitting 27/6/23; extension of time to report 31/7/23; progress reports presented out of sitting 16/8/23, 25/8/23; report tabled 4/9/23
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the Digital ID (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill: establishes an accreditation scheme for entities providing digital ID services; expands the Australian Government Digital ID System; and provides for privacy safeguards and a range of governance arrangements, including establishing the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as the Digital ID Regulator and expanding the role of the Information Commissioner to regulate privacy protections for digital IDs.
Senate:
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the Digital ID Bill 2023, the bill makes consequential amendments to 6 Acts; and provides for transitional arrangements.
Senate:
(Social Services portfolio)
Introduced with the Disability Services and Inclusion (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill replaces the Disability Services Act 1986 by establishing a framework for the funding and regulation of programs for the benefit of people with disability, and their families and carers.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- Passed 14/11/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report tabled 9/11/23
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 2 Govt agreed to; 1 AG agreed to; 40 AG negatived
- Passed 17/11/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 27/11/23
Assent: 4/12/23 (Act No. 107, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Introduced with the Disability Services and Inclusion Bill 2023, the bill: repeals the Disability Services Act 1986; and makes consequential amendments to 14 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- Consideration in detail amendment: 1 Govt agreed to
- Passed 14/11/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report tabled 9/11/23
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 6 AG negatived
- Committee requests for amendments: 4 AG negatived
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 28/11/23 (Act No. 103, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Establishes the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee to provide advice related to the Commonwealth Government—s policies, programs and responsibilities for enhancing economic inclusion and participation.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 19/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 8 Ind (Mr Wilkie) negatived; 8 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 30/11/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 19/10/23 (SBC report no. 12 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 23/11/23
- Introduced 4/12/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 AG agreed to; 4 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 9 AG negatived; 15 AG/Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 1 JLN negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 6/12/23
Assent: 8/12/23 (Act No. 112, 2023)
(Senator Faruqi — AG)
Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003, Social Security Act 1991, Student Assistance Act 1973, Trade Support Loans Act 2014 and VET Student Loans Act 2016 to remove indexation on certain education and training loans; and Higher Education Support Act 2003, Social Security Act 1991 and Student Assistance Act 1973 to: define —median wage—; and raise the minimum repayment income and amend the percentage of income a person is liable to repay the Commonwealth for certain education and training loans.
Senate:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/22
- Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 1/12/22 (SBC report no. 8 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 17/4/23
(Education portfolio)
Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to create a new form of Higher Education Loan Program assistance, SY-HELP, which will be available to final year undergraduate students, current post-graduate students and recent graduates in accelerator program courses at Australian universities and university colleges; list Avondale University as a Table B provider; Social Security Act 1991, Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Student Assistance Act 1973 to provide that students entitled to SY-HELP assistance may qualify for certain social security payments, including youth allowance and austudy payment, while undertaking an accelerator program course; and Australian Research Council Act 2001 to: apply indexation to existing appropriation amounts for the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years; and insert a new funding cap for the 2025-26 financial year.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 93 Ind (Dr Scamps) agreed to
- Passed 23/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 23/3/23 (SBC report no. 3 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 28/4/23
- Introduced 27/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 Opp withdrawn
- Committee requests for amendments: 2 Govt agreed to
- Committee amendments: 2 Opp agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) (1 as amended) agreed to; 5 Opp negatived; 2 AG negatived
- Passed 21/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives made Senate requests for amendments 20/6/23
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 36, 2023)
(Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit political donations being made by corporations or close associates of the corporation in certain circumstances.
Senate:
(Mr Bates — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: lower the minimum voting age in Australian federal elections and referenda from 18 to 16 years; 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.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 6/2/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 8/8/23
(Senator Steele-John — AG)
Amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: lower the minimum voting age in Australian federal elections and referenda from 18 to 16 years; 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.
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 8/2/23
(Ms Chaney — Ind)
Amends the: Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 in relation to: the disclosure threshold; disclosure and publication of donations; misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter; definition of gift; prohibited donors; government advertising; postal vote applications; independent campaign entities; and nomination of candidates; Privacy Act 1988 to remove exemptions relating to data protection that apply to political parties and members of Parliament; Spam Act 2003 to remove exemptions relating to unsolicited electronic messages that apply to political parties; and Do Not Call Register Act 2006 to provide that independent candidates are treated the same as registered political parties under the provisions of the Act.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/8/23
(Senator Rice — AG)
The bill: requires the Minister for Energy and Emission Reduction to table in each House of Parliament an annual statement outlining Australia—s strategy on electric vehicles; and provides for the reference of matters to the Productivity Commission, including Australia—s support for the manufacture, purchase and use of electric vehicles.
Senate:
- Introduced 16/6/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/6/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Mr Wilkie — Ind)
The bill: establishes a legal framework governing immigration detention in Australia; provides alternatives to immigration detention; and prioritises non-citizens— immediate needs and refugee and international human rights law.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/8/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 1/8/22
- Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Migration 28/9/22 (SC report no. 3)
- Removed from Notice Paper 7/3/23
(Senator Rice — AG)
The bill: repeals the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002; and amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: make consequential amendments; and provide for annual statements from the minister and the Threatened Species Commissioner on the impact of native forest logging.
Senate:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- Negatived at 2nd reading 15/6/23
(Senator Rice — AG)
The bill: repeals the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002; and amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: make consequential amendments; and provide for annual statements from the minister and the Threatened Species Commissioner on the impact of native forest logging.
Senate:
- Introduced 12/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 12/9/23
(Senator Rice — AG)
The bill: establishes the Antipoverty Commission as a statutory authority to provide independent advice on poverty in Australia, the causes of poverty in Australia, approaches to reducing poverty in Australia and minimum levels for social security payments; and establishes a Parliamentary Joint Committee on combatting poverty in Australia.
Senate:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/3/23, 7/9/23
(Senators Canavan and Caddell — Nats, Senators Antic, Colbeck, Fawcett, O—Sullivan and Van — LP, Senator Rennick — LNP and Senator Nampijinpa Price — CLP)
Amends the: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 to remove the prohibition on the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations; and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to remove the prohibition on the Minister for Environment and Water declaring, approving or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations.
Senate:
- Introduced 28/9/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 28/9/22
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 27/10/22 (SBC report no. 6 of 2022); extension of time to report 6/3/23; progress report presented out of sitting 24/4/23; extensions of time to report 9/5/23, 13/6/23; progress report presented out of sitting 6/7/23; extension of time to report 31/7/23; report presented out of sitting 11/8/23
(Mr Bandt — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: require actions that would emit between 25,000 to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions in any one year to be assessed for approval under Part 9 of the Act; require the minister, when approving any such action or when considering whether to enter into a conservation agreement, to consider Australia—s national carbon budget and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets; require the minister to reject the approval of actions that would emit over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions; require the Climate Change Authority to develop a national carbon budget to 2050 and to annually assess the budget; prohibit the minister, subject to certain exceptions, from using alternative approval processes for certain emissions intensive actions; and introduce penalties for undertaking certain emissions intensive actions without approval if the action has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the environment.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 5/9/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 21/3/23
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: require actions that would emit between 25,000 to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions in any one year to be assessed for approval under Part 9 of the Act; require the minister, when approving any such action or when considering whether to enter into a conservation agreement, to consider Australia—s national carbon budget and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets; require the minister to reject the approval of actions that would emit over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions; require the Climate Change Authority to develop a national carbon budget to 2050 and to annually assess the budget; prohibit the minister, subject to certain exceptions, from using alternative approval processes for certain emissions intensive actions; and introduce penalties for undertaking certain emissions intensive actions without approval if the action has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the environment.
Senate:
- Introduced 5/9/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 5/9/22, 2/8/23
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 8/9/22 (SBC report no. 4 of 2022); extensions of time to report 7/2/23, 28/3/23, 16/6/23, 6/12/23; report due 7/2/24
(Dr Scamps — Ind)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to expand the circumstances in which certain petroleum mining developments must be assessed and approved by the minister.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/10/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/10/23
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to expand the circumstances in which certain petroleum mining developments must be assessed and approved by the minister.
Senate:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 18/10/23, 16/11/23
(Senator McKenzie — Nats)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002 to provide that forestry operations covered by a regional forest agreement are exempted from Part 3 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Senate:
- Introduced 9/12/20
- 2nd reading adjourned 9/12/20
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 18/2/21 (SBC report no. 2 of 2021); extension of time to report 11/5/21; report tabled 13/5/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 28/7/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 1/8/22
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: prevent the minister from approving an action which involves the clearing of koala habitat; and remove the exemption of regional forest agreements from requirements of the Act where there is, may, or is likely to have significant impacts on koalas.
Senate:
- Introduced 4/2/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 4/2/21, 22/2/21
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 25/2/21 (SBC report no. 3 of 2021); extension of time to report 22/11/21; progress report presented out of sitting 11/2/22; extension of time to report 29/3/22; progress report presented out of sitting 10/5/22
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 28/7/22 (SBC report no. 2 of 2022); extensions of time to report 28/3/23, 16/6/23, 10/11/23; report tabled 7/12/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 26/10/22
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Gives effect to Australia—s obligations arising out of the 2009 and 2013 amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972 by amending the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 to: enable a permit to be granted for the export of carbon dioxide streams from carbon dioxide capture processes for the purpose of sequestration into a sub-seabed geological formation; enable a permit to be granted for the placement of wastes or other matter for a marine geoengineering activity for the purpose of scientific research; and make minor consequential and technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 (Dr Haines) negatived; 9 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 3 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived; 2 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 3/8/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 22/6/23 (SBC report no. 7 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 27/7/23
- Introduced 7/8/23
- Committee amendments: 4 AG negatived; 6 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 13/11/23
Assent: 27/11/23 (Act No. 99, 2023)
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Introduced with the Customs Tariff Amendment (Product Stewardship for Oil) Bill 2023, the bill amends the Excise Tariff Act 1921 to increase the rate of excise duty imposed on the manufacture and production of petroleum-based oils and their synthetic equivalents from 8.5 cents to 14.2 cents per litre or kilogram.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 1/6/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 25/5/23; report tabled 13/6/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 37, 2023)
Act citation: Export Control Amendment (Streamlining Administrative Processes) Act 2023)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Amends the Export Control Act 2020 to: provide for the use and disclosure of certain information, including protected information; enable the secretary to impose or vary conditions at the same time as approving a variation to an approved arrangement, accredited property, registered establishment or export licence; require fit and proper person assessments to take into consideration certain information received under the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991; and make minor technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Passed 8/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- Passed 4/9/23
Assent: 13/9/23 (Act No. 64, 2023)
(Senator Roberts — PHON)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to require that labour hire workers covered by certain modern awards receive at least the same rate of pay as other employees performing the same work.
Senate:
- Introduced 10/2/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 10/2/22
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 28/7/22 (SBC report no. 2 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 24/10/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/22
(Senator Canavan — Nats, Senator Antic — LP and Senator Rennick — LNP)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to add COVID-19 vaccination status as an attribute protected from discrimination.
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 8/2/23
- Bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); extension of time to report 15/6/23; report presented out of sitting 25/8/23
(Mr Bandt — AG)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: prevent employers from contacting employees outside of work hours; and provide that employees are not required to monitor, read or respond to work communications from their employer outside of work hours.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 20/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 17/10/23
(Senator Barbara Pocock — AG)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to: prevent employers from contacting employees outside of work hours; and provide that employees are not required to monitor, read or respond to work communications from their employer outside of work hours.
Senate:
- Introduced 27/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/3/23
(Senator Lambie — JLN and Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Act 2013 to expand the functions of the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency in relation to silica safety and silica-related diseases.
Senate:
- Introduced 6/11/23
- Passed 9/11/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- Read a 1st time 13/11/23
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to: casual employment; small business redundancy exemptions in insolvency contexts; enabling multiple franchisees to access the single-enterprise stream; transitioning from multi-enterprise agreements; model terms; regulated labour hire arrangement orders; workplace delegates— rights; discrimination against employees subjected to family and domestic violence; sham contracting; exemptions to waive entry requirements for suspected underpayment and increasing maximum penalties for underpayments; compliance notices; introduction of a criminal offence for wage theft; the definition of employment; minimum standards and increased dispute resolution for employee-like workers performing digital platform work and regulated road transport industry contractors; and removal of a sunsetted clause relating to applications to vary modern awards; Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to remove provisions relating to the withdrawal of parts of amalgamated organisations; Independent Contractors Act 2006 to provide that the Act applies to independent contractors performing work remunerated at an amount exceeding the new contractor high income threshold; Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Act 2013 to expand the functions of the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency in relation to silica safety and silica-related diseases; Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to implement presumptive liability provisions for first responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder; and Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to: introduce an offence of industrial manslaughter; and amend the offences and penalties framework.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 4/9/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 KAP to Opp negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Le) to KAP negatived; 1 CA to Ind (Ms Le) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 82 Govt agreed to; 8 AG agreed to; 2 Ind (Ms Spender) agreed to; 6 Ind (Ms Chaney) negatived; 7 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived; 6 Ind (Ms Le) negatived; 2 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 37 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 11 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived; 2 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 29/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 4/12/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 Senator Van negatived
- Committee amendments: 22 Govt agreed to (including amendments to divide the bill); 6 Opp negatived; 3 Opp withdrawn
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 7/9/23 (SBC report no. 10 of 2023); inquiry confined to consideration of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Bill 2023, 7/12/23; report due 1/2/24
- Passed 7/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to the division of the bill into the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 and the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Bill 2023 and agreed to the Senate amendments (4 Opp and 3 Ind (Ms Spender) amendments to Senate amendments negatived) 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 120, 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
This bill is the result of the division by the Senate of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023
Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to: casual employment; enabling multiple franchisees to access the single-enterprise stream; transitioning from multi-enterprise agreements; model terms; intractable bargaining workplace determinations; workplace delegates— rights; sham contracting; exemptions to waive entry requirements for suspected underpayment and increasing maximum penalties for underpayments; compliance notices; the definition of employment; minimum standards and increased dispute resolution for employee-like workers performing digital platform work and regulated road transport industry contractors; and removal of a sunsetted clause relating to applications to vary modern awards; Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to remove provisions relating to the withdrawal of parts of amalgamated organisations; Independent Contractors Act 2006 to provide that the Act applies to independent contractors performing work remunerated at an amount exceeding the new contractor high income threshold; and Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992 in relation to the appointment of certain directors to the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation.
Senate:
(Senator Lambie — JLN and Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to implement presumptive liability provisions for first responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Senate:
- Introduced 6/11/23
- Passed 9/11/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- Read a 1st time 13/11/23
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the: Fair Work Act 2009 to: provide that a breach of the Migration Act 1958 does not affect the validity of a contract of employment or contract for services for the purposes of the Act; enable employees to take up to 100 days of flexible unpaid parental leave (UPL); enable employees to commence UPL at any time in the 24 months following the birth or placement of their child; enable employee couples to take UPL at the same time; allow pregnant employees to access flexible UPL in the 6 weeks prior to the expected birth of their child; enable parents to request an extension to their period of UPL regardless of the amount of leave the other parent has taken; insert an entitlement to superannuation in the National Employment Standards; clarify the operation of workplace determinations and enterprise agreements; expand the circumstances in which employees can authorise employers to make valid deduction from payments; and make minor technical amendments; and Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992 and Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992 in relation to the accrual, reporting and payment of long service leave entitlements for casual employees working in the black coal mining industry.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 11 Opp negatived
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
Assent: 30/6/23 (Act No. 43, 2023)
(Senator Lambie — JLN and Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to provide an exception to the operation of the small business redundancy exemption when a larger business downsizes to become a smaller business employer due to insolvency.
Senate:
- Introduced 6/11/23
- Passed 9/11/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- Read a 1st time 13/11/23
(Senator Lambie — JLN and Senator David Pocock — Ind)
Amends the Fair Work Act 2009 to provide workplace protections against discrimination for employees who have been, or continue to be, subjected to family and domestic violence.
Senate:
- Introduced 6/11/23
- Passed 9/11/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- Read a 1st time 13/11/23
(Education portfolio)
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to provide that child care subsidy debts for absences before a child—s first attendance or after a child—s last attendance are the responsibility of the approved provider, except for any withholding component paid to an individual in respect of the session of care which remains an individual debt.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 38, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Family Law Act 1975 to: amend the parenting order framework by refining the list of —best interests— factors, removing the presumption of equal shared parental responsibility and related equal time and substantial and significant time provision, and clarifying the circumstances in which a court can vary an existing parenting order; redraft provisions relating to compliance with, and enforcement of, parenting orders; amend definitions relating to the concept of —family— to be more inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and traditions; permit the appointment of independent children—s lawyers (ICLs) in matters brought under the Hague Convention and require ICLs to meet with a child and give them an opportunity to express a view; clarify restrictions on communicating identifiable information arising in family proceedings; and enable standards and requirements to be prescribed for professionals who prepare family reports; Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 to make consequential amendments; Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 to: allow registrars of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) to be delegated the power to impose a make-up time parent order in contravention proceedings; bring forward the review of the Act by 2 years; and provide that a judge of the Family Court of Western Australia can be dually appointed as a judge of Division 1 of the FCFCOA; and Family Law Act 1975 and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 to introduce —harmful proceedings orders— and extend the —overarching purpose of family law practice and procedure— and the accompanying duty to all proceedings instituted under the Family Law Act 1975.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived; 4 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived; 8 (Ms Le) negatived
- Passed 11/5/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 11/5/23 (SBC report no. 5 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 24/8/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 48 Govt agreed to; 23 Opp negatived; 8 PHON negatived; 3 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 19/10/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 19/10/23
Assent: 6/11/23 (Act No. 87, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Gives effect to the National Strategic Framework for Information Sharing between the Family Law and Family Violence and Child Protection Systems by amending the Family Law Act 1975 to expand the information sharing framework for information relating to family violence, child abuse and neglect risks in parenting proceedings before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, and the Family Court of Western Australia.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Passed 11/5/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 11/5/23 (SBC report no. 5 of 2023); report tabled 14/6/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to
- Committee amendments: 5 Govt agreed to
- Passed 19/10/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 19/10/23
Assent: 6/11/23 (Act No. 88, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 to provide a judge of Division 2 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) with the same protection and immunity as a judge of Division 1 of the FCFCOA; and Family Law Act 1975 to make a consequential amendment.
Senate:
- Introduced 7/11/23
- Passed 13/11/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/11/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Assent: 27/11/23 (Act No. 102, 2023)
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Amends the: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to: establish the Commonwealth Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to exercise the routine administrative regulatory functions currently undertaken by the Commonwealth in relation to the Act and other Commonwealth legislation relating to the environment and undertake certain functions relating to communities; establish an Office of Monitoring, Compliance, Enforcement and Assurance within the EPA; and establish the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Environment and Energy; and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Water Act 2007 to make consequential amendments.
Senate:
- Introduced 31/8/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 31/8/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2022 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2022, the bill establishes a financial accountability regime to impose accountability, key personnel, deferred remuneration and notification obligations on directors and senior executives of financial entities in the banking, insurance and superannuation industries.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/9/22
- Passed 28/9/22
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort) Bill 2023, Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2023 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2023, the bill establishes a financial accountability regime to impose accountability, key personnel, deferred remuneration and notification obligations on directors and senior executives of financial entities in the banking, insurance and superannuation industries.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 13 AG negatived
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Committee amendments: 13 AG negatived
- Passed 5/9/23
Assent: 14/9/23 (Act No. 67, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2023, Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort) Bill 2023, Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2023 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2023, the bill amends: 12 Acts to make amendments consequential on the new financial accountability regime; and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998 and Banking Act 1959 to make amendments consequential on the end of the banking executive accountability regime.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 5/9/23
Assent: 14/9/23 (Act No. 68, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2022 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2022, the bill imposes a levy on certain industry entities to recover the cost of the compensation scheme of last resort.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/9/22
- Passed 28/9/22
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2023, Financial Accountability Regime (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort) Bill 2023 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2023, the bill imposes levies on certain industry entities to recover the cost of the compensation scheme of last resort.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 PHON negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 44, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2022 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2022, the bill provides for the collection and administration of the levy imposed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Act 2022.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/9/22
- Passed 28/9/22
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2023, Financial Accountability Regime (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort) Bill 2023 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2023, the bill provides for the collection and administration of the levies imposed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Act 2023.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 PHON negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 45, 2023)
(Senators Faruqi and McKim — AG)
Amends the: Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 to: provide for additional designated housing agreements to include model tenancy standards; and create an instrument-making power allowing the minister to make additional payments to the states on the basis that the states agree to adopt the model tenancy standards, which would include implementing controls on rents and a ban on no-grounds eviction; and Reserve Bank Act 1959 to: insert an object stating that, in relation to differences of opinion between the Reserve Bank and the Government on questions of policy, the Government is ultimately responsible for monetary and banking policy; and provide that orders made to determine monetary policy can include freezing interest rates for a specified period of time.
Senate:
- Introduced 19/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 19/6/23, 18/10/23
(Ms Tink— Ind)
Amends the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 and Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 to require light vehicles to meet Euro 6d vehicle pollution standards.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 28/11/22
- Removed from Notice Paper 1/8/23
(Senator Shoebridge — AG)
Amends the Governor-General Act 1974 to cease the payment of allowances to a former Governor-General, or a spouse of a former Governor-General, where they have engaged in serious misconduct.
Senate:
- Introduced 6/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 6/3/23
- Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 9/3/23 (SBC report no. 2 of 2023); extension of time to report 10/5/23; report tabled 31/7/23
(Climate Change and Energy portfolio)
Amends the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 in relation to: registration requirements for customised greenhouse and energy minimum standards (GEMS) products; deemed compliance; exemptions from requirements of GEMS determinations; specifying product classes in GEMS determinations; requirements in GEMS determinations which have labelling requirements but do not set minimum standards for energy use; certain arrangements and references to the GEMS Regulator; grandfathering of compliant products; powers of the GEMS Regulator to extend the time to pay application fees; and clarification that one of the objects of the Act is to facilitate the operation of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Legislative Scheme.
Senate:
- Introduced 15/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 22/6/23 (SBC report no. 7 of 2023); progress report presented out of sitting 27/7/23; extension of time to report 31/7/23; report tabled 3/8/23
- Passed 10/8/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 11/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 77, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 to: remove the age limit on eligibility for Medicare benefits for treatment of cleft and craniofacial conditions; enable Services Australia to use a computerised system to manage the Register of Approved Placements; and require bonded participants of the Bonded Medical Program to complete their return of service obligations in an amount of weeks rather than years and make related amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 29/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG agreed to
- Committee requests for amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Passed 10/8/23
Assent: 21/8/23 (Act No. 59, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 to: remove the requirement for the Australian Medical Association to agree to the appointment of the Director of the Professional Services Review (PSR); amend consultation requirements for appointing other statutory office holders of the PSR to enable consultation with relevant peak bodies directly; establish the statutory office of Associate Director of the PSR; remove the requirement for the Chief Executive Medicare to consult with stakeholder groups prior to issuing a notice to produce documents; and make minor amendments to update the wording of provisions relating to the termination of certain appointments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 24/5/23
- Passed 13/6/23
Senate:
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 82, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 in relation to the Professional Services Review (PSR) Scheme by amending the requirements for qualification of committee members, clarifying that references to a practitioner include a practitioner who is not currently registered, clarifying the requirements for a person under review notifying a committee that they are unable to attend a hearing due to medical reasons, and enabling the Director to extend the 12-month review period in certain circumstances.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 19/10/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 24/11/23 (Act No. 97, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill establishes a Commonwealth shared equity program (Help to Buy Scheme) to be administered by Housing Australia that will assist low to middle income earners to purchase new or existing homes.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Help to Buy Bill 2023, the bill amends the Housing Australia Act 2018 to make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Help to Buy Scheme.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Act citation: Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Act 2023)
(Education portfolio)
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: amend the definition of —grandfathered student— to include students undertaking an honours course related to a course of study commenced before 1 January 2021; clarify that a student whose course of study is discontinued by their provider and transfers to a new course will be treated as a grandfathered student; enable the minister to make rules prescribing matters of a transitional nature; and enable the waiver of indexation on HELP debts for certain health practitioners while they are completing eligible work in rural or remote areas.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/11/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 1 Ind (Dr Scamps) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 29/11/22
Senate:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 5 Opp agreed to
- Passed 9/2/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 9/2/23
Assent: 20/2/23 (Act No. 3, 2023)
(Act citation: Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia—s Economic Accelerator) Act 2023)
(Education portfolio)
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: allow the minister to make grants to support arrangements to increase industry-led study and postgraduate research, and to assist higher education providers to undertake research that progresses to a state of commercial readiness the development of technologies and services in sectors aligned with areas of national priority (the Australia—s Economic Accelerator (AEA) program); establish a governance framework to support the delivery of the AEA program; and provide for the protection, disclosure and use of AEA program information.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 9/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 2 AG agreed to
- Passed 6/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 7/3/23
Assent: 14/3/23 (Act No. 5, 2023)
(Education portfolio)
Amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: expand eligibility for places in demand driven higher education courses to First Nations students; and remove the current requirement that students must pass 50 per cent of the units they study to remain eligible for a Commonwealth supported place and FEE-HELP assistance and instead require higher education providers to support students to successfully complete the units of study in which they are enrolled.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 3/8/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 6/9/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 10/8/23 (SBC report no. 9 of 2023); extension of time to report 11/9/23; progress report presented out of sitting 27/9/23; report presented out of sitting 11/10/23
- Introduced 6/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendment: 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to
- Committee requests for amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Passed 19/10/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 19/10/23
Assent: 6/11/23 (Act No. 89, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Terminates the lease in respect of Block 26, Section 44 in the Division of Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/6/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 15/6/23
- Passed 15/6/23
Assent: 15/6/23 (Act No. 19, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Bill 2023 and Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Measures No. 1) Bill 2023, the bill establishes the Housing Australia Future Fund to make grants, and enable Housing Australia to make grants and loans, in relation to acute housing needs, social housing or affordable housing.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Ms Le) negatived; 1 AG to Ind (Ms Le) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 6 AG negatived; 1 CA negatived; 8 Ind (Dr Haines) negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Le) negatived
- Passed 15/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); report tabled 22/3/23
- Introduced 6/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 Govt agreed to; 7 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 2 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee requests for amendments: 20 Govt agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 6 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 14/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives made Senate requests for amendments 13/9/23
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 14/9/23
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 79, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Bill 2023 [No. 2] and Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Measures No. 1) Bill 2023 [No. 2], the bill establishes the Housing Australia Future Fund to make grants, and enable Housing Australia to make grants and loans, in relation to acute housing needs, social housing or affordable housing.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 2/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 2/8/23
Senate:
(Senator Canavan — Nats, Senator Antic — LP and Senator Babet — UAP)
The bill: clarifies that children born alive are persons; requires health practitioners to provide medical care, treatment and statistics on children born alive as a result of terminations; and provides that the mother of a child born alive is not liable to prosecution for an offence in respect of that child.
Senate:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/22
- Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); extension of time to report 16/6/23; report presented out of sitting 31/8/23
(Senator Thorpe — Ind)
Amends the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 to amend the definition of —human rights— to include the rights and freedoms outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Senate:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Introduced with the Identity Verification Services (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, the bill provides a framework to support the operation of identity verification services.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 18/10/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report tabled 9/11/23
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 38 Govt agreed to; 3 AG to 2 Govt negatived; 2 PHON to 2 Govt negatived; 5 AG negatived
- Passed 6/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 115, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Introduced with the Identity Verification Services Bill 2023, the bill amends the Australian Passports Act 2005 to enable automated disclosures of personal information to a specified person via the Document Verification Service or the Face Verification Service.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- Passed 18/10/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report tabled 9/11/23
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendment: 1 Govt agreed to
- Passed 6/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 116, 2023)
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Amends the Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—February 2023) Instrument 2023 to amend the regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis by: re-scheduling medicinal cannabis, thereby allowing prescription by any medical practitioner; adopting a definition for cannabis as a regulated product that allows a higher level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and allowing whole plant cannabis products with certain limits of THC and cannabidiol to be sold over the counter at a chemist or veterinary clinic to persons over 18 years of age.
Senate:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 9/3/23, 22/3/23
- Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 23/3/23 (SBC report no. 3 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 1/9/23
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Responds to recommendations of the independent review of Infrastructure Australia (IA) by amending the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 to amend the functions and governance structure of IA.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG negatived; 9 Ind (Ms Le) negatived; 2 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 10 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 4 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 24/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 2 Opp agreed to; 6 AG agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Opp to AG negatived; 1 AG negatived; 1 PHON negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 6/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 117, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill establishes an independent Inspector-General of Aged Care to monitor, investigate and report on the Commonwealth—s administration of the aged care system, including by identifying system issues through independent reviews and making recommendations for improvement.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 30/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 23/3/23 (SBC report no. 3 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 28/4/23
- Introduced 10/5/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to
- Committee amendments: 5 AG agreed to
- Passed 8/8/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 8/8/23
Assent: 17/8/23 (Act No. 55, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill 2023, the bill amends the: Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018 to facilitate the disclosure of protected information to the Inspector-General of Aged Care; and National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 to require the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner to meet an additional public interest test before a corruption investigation can commence in relation to a matter that has previously been investigated by the Inspector-General of Aged Care.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 30/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 23/3/23 (SBC report no. 3 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 28/4/23
- Introduced 10/5/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to
- Passed 8/8/23
Assent: 17/8/23 (Act No. 56, 2023)
(Act citation: Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Modernisation) Act 2023)
(Attorney-General's portfolio)
Amends: the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 to: enhance the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security—s (IGIS) oversight functions and powers; prevent the head or deputy head of an agency within the IGIS—s jurisdiction, immediately after serving in that position, being appointed as the Inspector-General; allow the IGIS to consider employment-related grievances for staff employed under the Office of National Intelligence Act 2018; streamline reporting and information sharing procedures; and make technical amendments to clarify and modernise drafting expressions and remove redundant provisions; 14 Acts to make consequential amendments; and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986, National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 and Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006 to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 9/2/23; report tabled in House of Representatives 20/3/23 and Senate 21/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 23/3/23
- Committee amendments: 2 AG negatived; 7 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 6/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 73, 2023)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Amends the: Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Act 2019 to expand the functions of the office of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to include monitoring, investigation and reporting on the implementation of animal welfare and live animal exports legislation and standards in relation to livestock exports and rename it to the office of the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports; and National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 24/5/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Mr Wilkie) negatived
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee 3/8/23 (SBC report no. 8 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 30/8/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 JLN agreed to; 10 AG negatived; 1 JLN withdrawn
- Passed 17/11/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 27/11/23
Assent: 4/12/23 (Act No. 108, 2023)
(Industry and Science portfolio)
Amends the: Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987 to: clarify that only the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are permitted to register Olympic insignia as trade marks in Australia; and provide for the rejection of trade mark applications not made by the AOC or IOC; Trade Marks Act 1995 to: align grace periods for payment of a fee for renewal of a trade mark registration to a consistent 6-month duration, whether registration of a trade mark application is delayed or not; clarify provisions dealing with the revocation of the registration of a trade mark where a component of a notice of opposition to registration of that trade mark has been overlooked; permit restoration of a trade mark to the Register of Trade Marks if an extension of time is obtained to file evidence in support of an opposition to the trade mark removal; and remove references to the Official Journal of Trade Marks; and Patents Act 1990 to remove spent transitional and savings provisions that have had no effect from February 2022.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- Passed 2/8/23
Senate:
- Introduced 2/8/23
- Passed 9/11/23
Assent: 17/11/23 (Act No. 91, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Intelligence Services Act 2001 to: expand the jurisdictions of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) to include the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Home Affairs; provide that the PJCIS may review proposed counter-terrorism and national security legislation, and all such expiring legislation; enable the PJCIS to request the IGIS to conduct an inquiry into certain operational activities of the agencies within the IGIS—s jurisdiction; clarify the legislation which enables the PJCIS to request a briefing from the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor; clarify the IGIS—s complaints jurisdiction; and make technical amendments; Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Office of National Intelligence Act 2018 to require the IGIS and the Office of National Intelligence to provide annual briefings to the PJCIS; Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010 to require the IGIS to provide annual briefings to the committee; Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 to amend the review and access of ACIC criminal intelligence assessment records; and Criminal Code Act 1995 to include an exemption from civil and criminal liability for defence officials and others for certain computer-related conduct. Also makes consequential amendments to 15 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 22/6/23
(Ms Sharkie — CA)
Amends the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to ban the broadcast, datacast and publication of licensed interactive wagering services.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 19/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 19/6/23
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to: prohibit the use of credit cards, credit-related products and digital currency as payment methods for interactive wagering services; expand the Australian Communications and Media Authority—s compliance and enforcement powers; and make consequential amendments and remove spent provisions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Opp negatived; 2 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 7 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Passed 14/11/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 12/10/23
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Committee amendments: 10 AG negatived; 2 Opp negatived; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 6/12/23
Assent: 11/12/23 (Act No. 114, 2023)
(Ms Sharkie — CA)
Amends the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to: prohibit the use of credit cards for online gambling using regulated interactive gambling services; and require customers of licensed interactive wagering services to provide an acknowledgement of losses before being allowed to participate in licensed wagering services.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 14/11/23
(Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio)
Amends the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 to: declare an international organisation of which Australia is not a member as an international organisation; confer privileges and immunities on categories of officials not prescribed in the Act where requested by an international organisation and agreed to by Australia; and provide greater flexibility to grant certain privileges and immunities to international organisations and connected persons.
Senate:
- Introduced 21/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 3/8/23 (SBC report no. 8 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 30/8/23
- Passed 4/9/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 5/9/23
- Passed 11/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 78, 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the Jobs and Skills Australia Act 2022 to: provide for the permanent governance arrangements and functions of Jobs and skills Australia; provide for the minister to establish a Ministerial Advisory Board to advise in relation to the performance of the functions of Jobs and Skills Australia; and provide for a review of the operation of the Act.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Govt agreed to; 4 Opp negatived; 2 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived
- Passed 11/5/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee 23/3/23 (SBC report no. 3 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 24/4/23
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to; 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 AG agreed to; 1 JLN agreed to; 5 Opp negatived
- Passed 7/8/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 7/8/23
Assent: 17/8/23 (Act No. 54, 2023)
(Senator Waters — AG)
The bill: provides that Australian landholders have the right to refuse the undertaking of gas and coal mining activities by corporations on their land without prior written authorisation; sets out the requirements of a prior written authorisation; provides for relief which a court may grant a land owner when prior written authorisation is not provided; prohibits hydraulic fracturing for coal seam gas, shale gas and tight gas by corporations; and provides for civil penalties.
Senate:
- Introduced 4/3/15
- 2nd reading adjourned 4/3/15
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 5/3/15 (SBC report no. 2 of 2015); report presented out of sitting 30/9/15
- Lapsed due to prorogation of first session of 44th Parliament 17/4/16
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 19/4/16
- Lapsed due to dissolution of 44th Parliament 9/5/16
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 31/8/16
- 2nd reading adjourned 24/11/16
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 46th Parliament 1/7/19
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 31/7/19
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Senator Shoebridge — AG)
Establishes the Cannabis Australia National Agency as a statutory agency to register cannabis strains and regulate activities relating to cannabis including: growing and possessing cannabis plants; manufacturing and selling cannabis products; operating cannabis cafes; and importing and exporting cannabis products.
Senate:
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Requires the Treasurer to establish a Live Performance Federal Insurance Guarantee Fund to underwrite insurance for the live performance industry to enable future live performance events.
Senate:
- Introduced 25/8/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 25/8/21
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 2/9/21 (SBC report no. 11 of 2021); progress report presented out of sitting 8/10/21; extension of time to report 18/10/21; progress report presented out of sitting 29/10/21; report presented out of sitting 19/11/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Dr Ryan — Ind)
Establishes a scheme in relation to dealings between lobbyists and Government representatives.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 13/11/23
(Special Minister of State portfolio)
Amends the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 to: implement certain recommendations of the review by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in relation to the Act—s employment framework; and make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service. Also makes consequential amendments to 18 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 7/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 11/9/23
- Passed 14/9/23
Assent: 19/9/23 (Act No. 71, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Responds to the decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in Pearson v Minister for Home Affairs [2022] FCAFC 203 by amending the Migration Act 1958 to provide a clear basis for aggregate sentences (that is, one sentence imposed in respect of more than one offence) to be taken into account in a consistent manner for all relevant purposes under the Act and the Migration Regulations 1994.
Senate:
- Introduced 7/2/23
- Committee amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG negatived; 3 JLN negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 9/2/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived
- Passed 13/2/23
Assent: 16/2/23 (Act No. 1, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Introduced with the Migration (Visa Pre-application Process) Charge Bill 2023, the bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable the minister to implement a visa pre-application process to enable the random selection of eligible persons who would then be permitted to apply for a relevant visa.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/2/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 9/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 9/3/23 (SBC report no. 2 of 2023); report tabled 13/6/23
- Introduced 9/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 JLN agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Committee amendments: 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 6 AG negatived
- Passed 18/10/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 19/10/23
Assent: 26/10/23 (Act No. 86, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994 in response to the High Court—s judgement in NZYQ v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs & Anor (S28/2023) to provide for certain conditions to be placed on bridging visas granted to non-citizens released from immigration detention.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- Passed 16/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- Committee amendments: 9 Govt agreed to; 2 Opp agreed to; 4 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 16/11/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 16/11/23
Assent: 17/11/23 (Act No. 93, 2023)
(Senator McKim — AG)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: require the minister to provide an offer of transfer to Australia to all persons in the offshore cohort in Papua New Guinea or the Republic of Nauru who have not had an adverse security assessment made against them by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation; and provide that transferred persons will be placed in community detention while they pursue a durable solution, being resettlement in a third country which is a state party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Refugee Protocol.
Senate:
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: require all cancellation-related documents to be given in writing and enable the regulations to prescribe methods for giving such documents; ensure that where the minister gives a document to a person and makes an error in doing so, the giving of the document is valid where the person actually receives the document and the document is taken to have complied with the content-related requirements where the minister has substantially complied with those content requirements and the error does not cause substantial prejudice to the person—s rights; and remove the prohibition on non-citizens who are nationals of two or more countries and certain other cohorts from making a valid application for a protection visa.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 24/5/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Opp negatived
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG negatived; 1 Opp - question not put
- Passed 21/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 26, 2023)
(Ms Tink — Ind)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: prohibit the detention of minors; and introduce a 90-day limit on immigration detention which can only be extended in certain circumstances.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/23
(Senator Dean Smith — LP)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: require persons entering Australia to respond to specified questions in relation to organ transplants outside Australia; provide for annual reporting requirements in relation to this information; and enable the minister to refuse to grant, or to cancel, a person—s visa if the minister reasonably suspects the person has been involved in conduct constituting an offence involving trafficking in human organs.
Senate:
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Migration Act 1958 to: establish criminal offences and associated civil penalty provisions for a person who unduly influences, pressures or coerces a non-citizen to breach a work-related condition of their visa or accept an exploitative work arrangement to meet a work-related condition of their visa; enable the minister to prohibit certain employers from employing any additional non-citizens and introduce associated offence and civil penalty provisions; require the minister to publish certain information about a prohibited employer; increase and align the maximum criminal and civil penalties for current and proposed work-related and employer-sponsored related breaches; trigger the enforceable undertaking provisions in the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014; provide for enforceable compliance notices where an officer suspects a contravention of a work or sponsorship-related offence or related provision; remove the criminal offence of breaching a work-related visa condition and insert an avoidance of doubt clause for remaining work-related offence provisions; and enable the Migration Regulations 1994 to prescribe matters the minister may, must or must not take into account when considering the exercise of the power to cancel visas on certain grounds.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- Passed 11/9/23
Senate:
(Mr Tehan — LP)
Amends the Migration Act 1958 to: amend the character test by providing grounds to consider visa cancellation or refusal where a non-citizen has been convicted of offences involving violence against a person, weapons, breaching of an apprehended violence order (or similar) or non-consensual sexual acts; provide that, for an offence involving violence against a person, a person—s conviction for an offence of common assault, or equivalent, will not be taken to be a conviction for a designated offence unless the act constituting the offence causes or substantially contributes to bodily harm to another person, or harm to another person's mental health, or involves family violence; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/2/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 5/9/23
(Previous title: Migration Amendment (Bridging Visa Conditions and Other Measures) Bill 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Further to the Migration Amendment (Bridging Visa Conditions) Act 2023, which responded to the High Court—s judgement in NZYQ v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs & Anor (S28/2023), the bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to: provide for additional conditions to be placed on bridging visas granted to non-citizens released from immigration detention; and clarify the authority for the collection and use of information gathered by an electronic monitoring device.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/11/23
- Passed 27/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 5/12/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 2 PHON negatived
- Committee amendments: 5 Govt agreed to; 2 Opp negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 9 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 6/12/23
Assent: 7/12/23 (Act No. 110, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Introduced with the Migration Amendment (Australia—s Engagement in the Pacific and Other Measures) Bill 2023, the bill imposes a charge on a person registering to participate in a visa pre-application process.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/2/23
- Passed 9/3/23
Senate:
Assent: 26/10/23 (Act No. 85, 2023)
(Act citation: Ministers of State Amendment Act 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Amends the Ministers of State Act 1952 to require the Official Secretary to the Governor-General to publish a notifiable instrument on the Federal Register of Legislation to advise that the Governor-General has chosen, summoned and sworn an Executive Councillor to the Federal Executive Council, appointed an officer to administer a Department of State of the Commonwealth, directed a Minister of State to hold an office, or has revoked any of these positions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 19/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 19/6/23
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 28/11/23 (Act No. 104, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the Modern Slavery Act 2018 to establish the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner as an independent statutory office holder within the Attorney-General—s portfolio to provide an independent mechanism for victims and survivors, business and civil society to engage on issues and strategies to address modern slavery.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Senator Hanson-Young — AG)
Establishes a commission of inquiry to inquire into and report to the Parliament on certain matters relating to the Murdoch media and media diversity in Australia.
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 13/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 13/6/23 (SBC report no. 5 of 2023); extensions of time to report 16/6/23, 10/11/23; report due 30/4/24
(Senator Allman-Payne — AG)
Establishes the National Energy Transition Authority as a statutory authority to plan, coordinate and provide advice on the transition to renewable energy, focusing on the facilitation of new economic opportunities for workers and communities who are currently involved in fossil fuel production and associated industries.
Senate:
- Introduced 27/9/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/9/22
- Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 28/9/22 (SBC report no. 5 of 2022); progress report presented out of sitting 22/12/22; extension of time to report 7/2/23; report tabled 24/3/23
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the National Health Act 1953 to enable the suspension or revocation of an approved pharmacist—s approval to supply pharmaceutical benefits where the approval is held by an approved pharmacist corporation and a director is charged or convicted with a PBS related offence.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp agreed to; 1 AG agreed to
- Passed 24/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 16, 2023)
(Dr Haines — Ind)
Amends the: National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to enable the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to provide finance, grants or investments that support the provision of housing-enabling infrastructure, including for housing in regional, rural or remote Australia; and Housing Australia Act 2018 to make contingent amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 11/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 11/9/23
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023 and Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Measures No. 1) Bill 2023, the bill establishes the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council as an independent advisory body to the Commonwealth Government on matters relating to housing supply and affordability.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Ind (Dr Haines) agreed to; 4 AG negatived; 5 Ind (Dr Haines) negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Le) negatived
- Passed 16/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); report tabled 22/3/23
- Introduced 6/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 Govt agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 7 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 13/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 14/9/23
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 80, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023 [No. 2] and Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Measures No. 1) Bill 2023 [No. 2], the bill establishes the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council as an independent advisory body to the Commonwealth Government on matters relating to housing supply and affordability.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 2/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 2/8/23
Senate:
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, the bill establishes the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry to provide access to information about occupational respiratory diseases and support the identification of industries, occupations, job tasks and workplaces where there is a risk of exposure to respiratory disease-causing agents.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 21/6/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 3/8/23 (SBC report no. 8 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 30/8/23
- Introduced 11/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG agreed to
- Committee amendment: 1 AG agreed to
- Passed 19/10/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 13/11/23
Assent: 22/11/23 (Act No. 95, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Bill 2023, the bill amends the Freedom of Information Act 1982 to exempt protected information included in the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry from disclosure under the Act.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 21/6/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 3/8/23 (SBC report no. 8 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 30/8/23
- Introduced 11/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG agreed to
- Committee amendments: 2 JLN negatived
- Passed 19/10/23
Assent: 6/11/23 (Act No. 90, 2023)
(Previous title: National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill 2022)
(Industry, Science and Resources portfolio)
Establishes the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation as a corporate Commonwealth entity to invest in projects in priority areas of the Australian economy through the provision of financial accommodation and the acquisition of equity interests.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Consideration in detail amendments: 1 AG agreed to; 1 Ind (Ms Daniel) agreed to; 7 KAP negatived; 3 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 4 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived
- Passed 9/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 1/12/22 (SBC report no. 8 of 2022); progress report presented out of sitting 22/12/22; extension of time to report 7/2/23; report presented out of sitting 10/3/23
- Introduced 20/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG (as amended) agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to
- Committee amendments: 10 Govt agreed to; 3 JLN agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 12 Opp negatived; 3 JLN negatived; 6 PHON negatived; 2 Ind (Senator David Pocock) to 1 Govt negatived; 4 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 7 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 28/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 29/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 12, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Amends the: National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018 to: amend existing processes and concepts relating to review of determinations, treatment of serious criminal convictions and applications by persons in gaol, and the disclosure of protected information; make technical amendments; and provide for the reassessment of determinations on certain finalised applications.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 15/11/23
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the: Acts Interpretation Act 1901, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 to prohibit the conferral of certain powers of the Attorney-General upon another minister; Law Officers Act 1964 to remove the ability of the Attorney-General to delegate certain powers; Criminal Code Act 1995 to provide defences for four offences relating to tampering or interfering with telecommunications carrier facilities, unauthorised modification of data and unauthorised impairment of electronic communications; Intelligence Services Act 2001 to: amend the membership of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; and provide that the minister may direct the Australian Secret Intelligence Service to undertake activities of a specific or general nature, or by way of a class or classes; Crimes Act 1914 to enable the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to use, record and disclose spent convictions information; Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to provide annual reporting requirements in relation to public interest disclosures received by, and complaints made to, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS); Ombudsman Act 1976 to remove six intelligence agencies from the Commonwealth Ombudsman—s jurisdiction; Freedom of Information Act 1982 to remove the exemption for documents relating to the non-intelligence functions of the Australian Hydrographic Office; Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 and Archives Act 1983 to require proceedings in relation to security records under the Archives Act 1983 to be heard in the Security Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT); and Freedom of Information Act 1982 and Archives Act 1983 to provide that the IGIS is obliged to provide evidence in proceedings only where the material in the proceedings relates to agencies the IGIS oversees.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 30/3/23; report presented to the Senate out of sitting 15/5/23; report tabled in House of Representatives 22/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 2 Opp negatived; 2 AG negatived; 1 JLN negatived
- Passed 7/8/23
Assent: 11/8/23 (Act No. 53, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 in relation to: the framework for security assessments; and security vetting and security clearance related activities; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, Intelligence Services Act 2001 and 10 other Acts in relation to: the protection of the identities of Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australian Signals Directorate and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation staff; and the protection of intelligence information and documents; and Intelligence Services Act 2001, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 in relation to authorisation processes for certain intelligence activities.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
- Bill referred to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security 7/12/23
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the: National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 to: support data collection and arrangements in relation to the use and disclosure of vocational education training data; and enable the Ministerial Council to delegate certain powers in relation to data provision requirements; and National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Transitional Provisions) Act 2011 to include transitional provisions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- Passed 23/3/23
Senate:
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 49, 2023)
(Previous title: Nature Repair Market Bill 2023)
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Introduced with the Nature Repair Market (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, the bill creates a national framework for a voluntary national biodiversity market.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Daniel) to Ind (Ms Spender) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 4 Ind (Ms Chaney) agreed to; 2 Ind (Ms Daniel) agreed to; 8 Ind (Ms Spender) agreed to; 4 Ind (Ms Steggall) agreed to; 5 Ind (Ms Tink) agreed to; 3 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived; 2 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived; 4 Ind (Mr Wilkie) negatived
- Passed 21/6/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 30/3/23 (SBC report no. 4 of 2023); extension of time to report 31/7/23; progress report presented out of sitting 23/10/23; extension of time to report 6/11/23; variation of reporting date 4/12/23; report tabled 4/12/23
- Introduced 31/7/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 11 AG agreed to; 6 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 11 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 121, 2023)
(Previous title: Nature Repair Market (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023)
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Introduced with the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023 to create a national framework for a voluntary national biodiversity market, the bill amends the: Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011 to: provide for the use and disclosure of protected information; provide for the minister to consult with the biodiversity minister before giving a direction about the Clean Energy Regulator—s powers and functions; amend the functions of the regulator to include functions conferred on it by a biodiversity law; include additional requirements for a person to be appointed as a member of the regulator; and provide for the delegation of the regulator—s functions and powers; and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 to: provide that the minister may determine requirements for the conduct of audits by registered greenhouse and energy auditors; and provide for a register of greenhouse and energy auditors.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Passed 21/6/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 30/3/23 (SBC report no. 4 of 2023); extension of time to report 31/7/23; progress report presented out of sitting 23/10/23; extension of time to report 6/11/23; variation of reporting date 4/12/23; report tabled 4/12/23
- Introduced 31/7/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 2 Govt agreed to; 1 AG agreed to
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments (2 Opp to Senate amendment no. 3 negatived) 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 122, 2023)
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016 to: increase the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility—s (NAIF) appropriation from $5 billion to $7 billion; enable the NAIF to provide financial assistance for the development of economic infrastructure that provides a basis for economic growth or stimulates population growth in the territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; and provide that the objectives of the Act include the provision of financial assistance for the development of Northern Australia economic infrastructure for the benefit of Indigenous persons.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Consideration in detail amendment: 1 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Passed 10/5/23
Senate:
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 50, 2023)
(Senator Nampijinpa Price — CLP)
Reinstates measures that previously applied under the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012 which were aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm to vulnerable communities in the Northern Territory.
Senate:
- Introduced 7/2/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/2/23, 8/2/23, 9/3/23, 24/3/23
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to broaden the objects clause of the Act to require the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator and the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority to take into account the benefit to the Australian community when granting new leases or renewing existing leases.
Senate:
- Introduced 8/12/20
- 2nd reading adjourned 8/12/20, 15/3/21
- Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 4/2/21 (SBC report no. 1 of 2021); report presented out of sitting 11/3/21
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG pending
- Bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 17/3/21; progress report presented out of sitting 28/4/21; extension of time to report 11/5/21; report presented out of sitting 30/6/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 3/8/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Negatived at 2nd reading 26/9/22
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to require petroleum production licensees to enter into a domestic reserve agreement with the Commonwealth.
Senate:
- Introduced 5/9/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 5/9/23, 14/9/23
(Senator Whish-Wilson — AG)
Amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to: cancel Petroleum Exploration Permit 11, and Petroleum Exploration Permit/T/49P (King Island, Tasmania); prevent any petroleum exploration leases for the Otway Basin/12 Apostles being granted; and prohibit any further petroleum exploration in the three areas.
Senate:
- Introduced 4/8/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 4/8/22, 9/2/23
(Ms Steggall — Ind)
Amends the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to cancel Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP11) and prohibit any further petroleum exploration in the PEP11.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/2/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 5/9/23
(Mr Hamilton — LNP)
Amends the Online Safety Act 2021 to: define —criminal activity material— as material that is hosted on a social media service, a relevant electronic service, or a designated internet service, and depicts conduct that could be deemed to be a criminal offence; and expand the functions of the eSafety Commissioner to include administering a complaints system for criminal activity material.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 14/11/23
(Mr Coleman — LP)
Amends the Online Safety Act 2021 to require the minister to conduct a trial of age verification technologies.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/23
(Act citation: Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Act 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Amends the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to: extend paid parental leave (PPL) pay from 18 weeks to 20 weeks from 1 July 2023, with two weeks reserved on a —use it or lose— basis for each claimant; remove the notion of primary, secondary and tertiary claimants and the requirement that the primary claimants of parental leave pay must be the birth parent; make paid parental leave consist only of flexible PPL days and remove the requirement to not return to work in order to be eligible; introduce a $350,000 family income limit under which families can be assessed if they do not meet the individual income test; and allow an eligible father or partner to receive parental leave pay regardless of whether the birth parent meets the income test, residency requirements or is serving a newly arrived resident—s waiting period. Also makes consequential amendments to eight Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Passed 9/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 1/12/22 (SBC report no. 8 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 24/2/23
- Introduced 9/2/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived.
- Committee amendments: 10 Opp negatived
- Committee requests for amendments: 16 AG negatived
- Passed 6/3/23
Assent: 10/3/23 (Act No. 4, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Amends the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to: increase the maximum period of flexible paid parental leave by 2 weeks each year from 1 July 2024 to 26 weeks from 1 July 2026; increase the reserved period for partnered claimants by one week each year from 1 July 2025 to 4 weeks from 1 July 2026; increase the number of days that can be taken concurrently by multiple claimants to 4 weeks by 1 July 2025; and make minor and technical amendments relating to eligibility for parental leave pay in exceptional circumstances.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 19/10/23, 27/11/23, 28/11/23, 7/12/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp pending; 1 Ind (Ms Spender) to Opp pending
Senate:
(Senators Lambie and Tyrrell — JLN)
Amends the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 to implement a recommendation of the interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide to allow a royal commission, whose terms of reference require an examination of government, to analyse and draw inferences or conclusions from evidence that is subject to parliamentary privilege.
Senate:
- Introduced 7/9/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/9/22, 26/9/22
- Bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 28/9/22 (SBC report no. 5 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 17/11/22
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill gives effect to recommendations of the Australian Human Rights Commission—s Set the Standard: Report on the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces by establishing the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service as an independent statutory agency to provide human resources and certain other services for parliamentarians and persons employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984. Also establishes the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Advisory Board and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Consultative Committee.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 7/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 11/9/23
- Committee amendments: 4 Govt agreed to; 1 Opp agreed to
- Passed 14/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 14/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 72, 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Introduced with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Bill 2023, the bill amends the Archives Act 1983, Freedom of Information Act 1982 and Parliamentary Service Determination 2013 to make amendments consequential on the establishment of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 7/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 11/9/23
- Committee amendments: 2 Govt agreed to
- Passed 14/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 14/9/23
Assent: 19/9/23 (Act No. 70, 2023)
(Senator Hanson — PHON)
Establishes a legislative framework for a national plebiscite to be held in conjunction with the next general election that would ask Australians —Do you think the current rate of immigration to Australia is too high?—.
Senate:
- Introduced 15/8/18
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 46th Parliament 1/7/19
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 24/7/19
- Negatived at 2nd reading 29/7/19
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 3/8/22
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Services) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2023 and Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill repeals 23 Acts; and makes consequential amendments to 13 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Services) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Bill 2023 and Primary Industries (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill enables the regulations to impose customs charges in relation to products that are produce of a primary industry and goods consumed by, or used in the maintenance or treatment of, animals, plants, fungi or algae.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 5 Opp negatived
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Services) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Bill 2023 and Primary Industries (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill enables the regulations to impose excise levies in relation to products that are produce of a primary industry, goods consumed by, or used in the maintenance or treatment of, animals, plants, fungi or algae and goods connected with nursery products.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 6 Opp negatived
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Services) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Bill 2023 and Primary Industries (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill replaces the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 by providing for the collection and administration of levies and charges under the agricultural levy system.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Services) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2023 and Primary Industries (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill provides for payments to recipient bodies, Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia and for crediting to the National Residue Survey Special Account of amounts connected with various levies and charges imposed on behalf of Australia—s primary industries.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Introduced with the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Bill 2023, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2023, Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Bill 2023 and Primary Industries (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 to establish a new framework for the agricultural levy system, the bill enables the regulations to impose levies on services that facilitate the production of products that are produce of a primary industry.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 4 Opp negatived
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
(Act citation: Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Medical Device and Human Tissue Product List and Cost Recovery) Act 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2022 and Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to: align relevant definitions of medical devices and human tissue products with the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989; rename the Private Health Insurance (Prostheses) Rules (No. 3) 2022 as the Private Health Insurance (Medical Devices and Human Tissue Products) Rules; and enable the minister to establish fee for service cost recovery arrangements. Also makes consequential amendments to the Private Health Insurance (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2007.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 7/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Committee amendment: 1 Govt agreed to
- Passed 7/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 8/3/23
Assent: 16/3/23 (Act No. 8, 2023)
(Act citation: Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Act 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Medical Device and Human Tissue Product List and Cost Recovery) Bill 2022 and Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2022, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Act 2009 to: update references to the renamed Private Health Insurance (Medical Devices and Human Tissue Products) Rules; and amend an incorrect reference to a ministerial determination.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 7/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 7/3/23
Assent: 16/3/23 (Act No. 6, 2023)
(Act citation: Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Amendment (Cost Recovery) Act 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Medical Device and Human Tissue Product List and Cost Recovery) Bill 2022 and Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Act 2007 to: amend the long title of the Act; provide for a cost recovery levy on each kind of medical device and human tissue product on the Prescribed List of Benefits for Medical Devices and Human Tissue Products; allow regulations and rules to provide for matters in relation to the levy; and rename the legislative instrument for medical devices and human tissue products that may be made under the Act.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 7/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 7/3/23
Assent: 16/3/23 (Act No. 7, 2023)
(Senator Duniam — LP)
Amends the Productivity Commission Act 1998 to: require the Productivity Commission to prepare quarterly reports on retail electricity prices and energy sources for electricity generation; and require the minister to table these reports within 30 days after the end of the quarterly period.
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Negatived at 2nd reading 3/8/23
(Senator Cox — AG)
Amends the: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 in relation to prescribing consultation requirements with traditional owners, knowledge holders and other relevant persons when preparing environment plans; Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009 in relation to: meaning of relevant person; and protection of cultural heritage; and Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2011 to make a consequential amendment.
Senate:
(Senator Babet — UAP)
Amends the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to provide that indemnities cannot be granted to manufacturers of vaccines in relation to the use of a vaccine.
Senate:
- Introduced 3/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 3/8/23, 10/8/23
- Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 10/8/23 (SBC report no. 9 of 2023); report due 18/3/24
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, the bill consolidates the existing tobacco control framework and introduces new measures to regulate the advertising and presentation of tobacco and e-cigarette (vaping) products.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 4 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Passed 19/10/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 22/11/23
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Committee amendments: 5 Opp agreed to; 1 Senator Canavan negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 7/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 118, 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Introduced with the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023, the bill: repeals the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992 and Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011; and makes consequential amendments to 6 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- Passed 19/10/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 14/9/23 (SBC report no. 11 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 22/11/23
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 5/12/23
Assent: 14/12/23 (Act No. 119, 2023)
(Act citation: Public Interest Disclosure Amendment (Review) Act 2023)
(Attorney-General's portfolio)
Amends the: Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to: provide that —personal work-related conduct— does not fall within the public interest disclosure (PID) scheme; amend the process for authorised officers— handling and allocation of disclosures, and principal officers— investigation of disclosures; expand the scope of protections for disclosers and availability of civil remedies for reprisal action taken against a person who has made, or may make, a PID; remove the general secrecy offence; clarify the roles of the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security in receiving and investigating complaints about the handling of a disclosure by an agency; establish a procedure for handling disclosures where there is a machinery of government change; amend the definitions of —agencies—, —public officials— and —principal officers—; exclude grant recipients from the application of the Act; provide for a review of the Act five years after the commencement of the amendments in the bill; and make minor amendments; and National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022, National Anti-Corruption Commission (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2022 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the National Anti-Corruption Commission legislation enacted in November 2022.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived
- Passed 15/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee 1/12/22 (SBC report no. 8 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 14/3/23
- Introduced 6/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 3 Govt agreed to; 1 AG to Govt negatived; 14 AG negatived
- Passed 15/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 15/6/23
Assent: 19/6/23 (Act No. 23, 2023)
(Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio)
Responding to certain recommendations of the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service (the Thodey Review), the bill amends the Public Service Act 1999 to: include a new Australian Public Service (APS) Value of —Stewardship—; require the Secretaries Board to prepare an APS Purpose Statement; require agency heads to uphold and promote the APS Purpose Statement; provide that ministers must not direct agency heads on individual employment matters; require agency heads to put in place measures to enable decision-making to occur at the lowest appropriate classification; require regular capability reviews; require the Secretaries Board to request and publish regular long-term insights reports; require agencies to publish annual APS Employee Census results and respond to relevant findings through an action plan; and remove the requirement to seek the APS Commissioner—s consent to delegate powers and functions to Australian Defence Force members.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Ms Chaney) negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Daniel) to Ind (Ms Chaney) negatived
- Consideration in details amendments: 2 Ind (Ms Le) negatived; 1 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 6 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived
- Passed 1/8/23
Senate:
(Act citation: Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Act 2023)
(Finance portfolio)
Amends the: Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: align postal voting procedures in referendums with equivalent procedures in federal elections; enable the early opening and sorting of pre-poll ordinary votes, and the extraction of declaration votes during preliminary scrutiny; align authorisation requirements with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918; establish a financial disclosure and foreign donation restrictions framework for referendum campaigning; prohibit foreign donations of $100 or more for referendum campaigning, and prohibit foreign campaigners from fundraising or directly incurring referendum expenditure in a financial year equal to or more than $1,000; enable the Electoral Commissioner to make modifications to certain aspects of a referendum during a declared emergency; and make technical amendments; and Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to: extend the application of the designated elector framework to referendums; and make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Bill referred to Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 1/12/22; report tabled in House of Representatives 13/2/23 and Senate 7/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived; 1 AG to Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 3 AG negatived; 3 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Passed 7/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 PHON negatived
- Committee amendments: 7 Govt agreed to; 1 Opp negatived; 9 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) to Govt negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 14 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 2 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 22/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 23/3/23
Assent: 27/3/23 (Act No. 11, 2023)
(Dr Haines — Ind)
Amends the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 to: include home batteries as an eligible technology to create small-scale technology certificates under the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme; and provide for an independent review of the operation of the scheme.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 27/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 14/11/23
(Attorney-General's portfolio)
Amends the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to apply limitations on the use and disclosure of certain information provided by individuals to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide outside of a private session; and Freedom of Information Act 1982 to exempt this information from the operation of the Act.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 15/2/23
- Passed 8/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- Passed 30/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 13, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to enable the authorisation of an Assistant Commissioner to hold private sessions for royal commissions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/9/23
- Passed 13/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- Passed 14/9/23
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 83, 2023)
(Previous title: Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2022)
(Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio)
Amends the: National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 to create safeguard mechanism credit units (SMCs) and provide for related registration, transfer and compliance arrangements consistent with the treatment of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs); Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide that SMCs receive the same tax treatment as other specified units; Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Act 2011 to: provide ownership and transfer arrangements for SMCs; require the publication of information about holdings and cancellations of SMCs; and provide for the making of legislative rules to increase transparency of information on unit holdings or allow for the voluntary surrender of units; Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Act 2011, Clean Energy Regulator Act 2011 and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 to: provide that protected information includes all information held by the Clean Energy Regulator regardless of when it was obtained; and make consequential amendments; and Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 to: enable legislative rules to prevent the regulator from entering into carbon abatement contracts that reduce covered emissions of facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism; require the regulator to consider the safeguard mechanism when assessing the regulatory additionality of proposed offsets projects; and make a consequential amendment.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 6 Govt agreed to; 3 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived; 2 Ind (Dr Ryan) negatived; 5 Ind (Dr Scamps) negatived; 2 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived; 5 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived; 6 Ind (Ms Tink) negatived
- Passed 27/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 1/12/22 (SBC report no. 8 of 2022); progress report presented out of sitting 20/2/23; report tabled 6/3/23
- Introduced 28/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Committee amendments: 14 Govt agreed to; 2 AG agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived; 6 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 30/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 30/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 14, 2023)
(Senator Waters — AG)
Amends the Snowy Hydro Corporatisation Act 1997 to prohibit the Snowy Hydro Company and Snowy hydro-group companies from being involved in creating or investing in new fossil fuel-based electricity generation capacity.
Senate:
- Introduced 13/5/21
- 2nd reading adjourned 13/5/21, 21/6/21
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
(Social Services portfolio)
Further to the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Act 2022, the bill amends the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to: expand access to the enhanced income management regime; enable people subject to the existing income management regime to move to the enhanced income management regime, thereby allowing them access to the BasicsCard bank account and superior SmartCard; and direct new entrants to the enhanced income management regime, ensuring no new participant is issued the BasicsCard.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG to Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 6 AG negatived
- Passed 28/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 9/3/23 (SBC report no. 2 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 6/6/23
- Introduced 30/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Committee amendments: 3 AG agreed to; 1 Opp negatived; 2 AG negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 22/6/23
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 47, 2023)
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the Social Security Act 1991 to: amend the qualification criteria for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 6/9/23
- Passed 12/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 14/9/23
- Passed 14/9/23
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 84, 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977, Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to: ensure that certain provisions which provide legislative authority for expenditure on employment programs operate as intended; and make other minor technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 3/8/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Senate:
Assent: 28/11/23 (Act No. 105, 2023)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio)
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to provide eligible social security pensioners over age pension age, and certain veterans— entitlement recipients over qualifying age, with a $4,000 work bonus concession balance on commencement and a permanent increase to the maximum concession balance they can accrue; Social Security Act 1991 to enable eligible social security recipients, including recipients who take up full-time work, to access an extended employment income nil rate period of 24 weeks; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 18/10/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 15/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 15/11/23
- Committee amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Committee requests for amendments: 2 Opp negatived; 3 AG negatived
- Passed 17/11/23
Assent: 28/11/23 (Act No. 106, 2023)
(International Development and the Pacific portfolio)
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999, Higher Education Support Act 2003, Social Security Act 1991 and VET Student Loans Act 2016 to extend eligibility for certain supports and benefits to Pacific Engagement Visa holders and eligible Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme workers and their families.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/8/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Senate:
- Introduced 6/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 14/11/23
Assent: 27/11/23 (Act No. 100, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Amends the: Social Security Act 1991 to: expand qualification for parenting payment (single) to single principal carers whose youngest child is aged under 14 years; increase the rates of certain working age and student payments, including jobseeker payment, youth allowance, parenting payment (partnered), austudy payment and disability support pension (youth), by $40 per fortnight; expand eligibility for the higher rate of jobseeker payment to recipients aged 55 years and over who have been on the payment for 9 or more continuous months; and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999, Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to increase the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance by 15 per cent.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 1 AG to Opp negatived; 1 Ind (Ms Tink) to AG negatived
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 22/6/23 (SBC report no. 7 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 24/7/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 2 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 2 AG negatived; 3 Ind (Senator David Pocock)/AG negatived
- Committee requests for amendments: 1 Opp negatived; 8 AG negatived; 7 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 3 Ind (Senator David Pocock)/AG negatived
- Passed 2/8/23
Assent: 10/8/23 (Act No. 52, 2023)
(Social Services portfolio)
Amends the: Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 to: enable the Child Support Registrar to use existing employer withholding mechanisms to collect deductible liabilities where a person—s child support liability has ended but they have outstanding child support and related debts; allow the registrar to refuse to issue a departure authorisation certificate where a security is offered unless satisfied that the person will make suitable arrangements to pay their outstanding liabilities; and provide the registrar with an additional method for working out a person—s taxable income for a particular year where they are satisfied that the person is not required to lodge a tax return.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/3/23
- Passed 10/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 10/5/23
- Passed 13/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 27, 2023)
(Senator Dean Smith — LP)
Amends the: Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to enable age pensioners and certain veterans' entitlement recipients to have their payment suspended for up to two years, instead of cancelled, if their income, which includes some income from the recipient's own employment, precludes payment; and provide for the same suspension period for partners of the age pension, disability support pension and certain veterans— entitlements recipients, where the partner is receiving a social security pension or certain veterans— entitlements; Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 to make minor amendments to the existing suspension provisions for disability support pensioners; and Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to: provide that working age pensioners, disability support pensioners and certain veterans— entitlements recipients, and their pensioner partners, can retain their pensioner concession card for up to two years after their payment ceases; and increase to $600 the amount of income age pensioners and certain veterans— entitlement recipients can earn each fortnight while still receiving maximum pension payments and provide for a review, and sunsetting, of these amendments.
Senate:
- Introduced 3/8/22
- 2nd reading adjourned 3/8/22, 5/9/22
- Bill referred to Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee 4/8/22 (SBC report no. 3 of 2022); report presented out of sitting 30/9/22
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 to extend the sunset date from 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2025 to enable foreign special recreational vessels (also known as superyachts) to continue to opt into the coastal trading regulatory regime and obtain temporary licenses to operate charters in Australia.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 29/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 39, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends: 33 Acts to replace provisions that require forms to be prescribed by regulations and reflect modern drafting practices, such as providing for the forms to be approved by a specified person or body, by notifiable instrument, or enabling regulations to directly mandate the requirements themselves rather than requiring particular forms; the Family Law Act 1975, Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to update language relating to persons with disability; 11 Acts to update references to Northern Territory legislation; 33 Acts to correct technical errors; and 12 Acts to remove spent and obsolete provisions. Also repeals 4 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/6/23
- Passed 14/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 74, 2023)
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 to: establish a framework for the execution of Commonwealth statutory declarations which includes traditional paper-based, electronic and digitally verified execution; provide for a review of the operation of the Act; and make minor and technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/9/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Passed 13/9/23
Senate:
Assent: 17/11/23 (Act No. 92, 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Introduced with the Trade Support Loans Amendment Bill 2023, the bill amends the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Act 2015 to update references to the Trade Support Loans Act 2014 with references to the Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 14/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 9/8/23
Assent: 21/8/23 (Act No. 60, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Treasury Laws Amendment (Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions and Other Measures) Bill 2023, the bill imposes a tax rate of 15 per cent for superannuation earnings corresponding to the percentage of an individual—s superannuation balance that exceeds $3 million for an income year.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Enshrines the objective of superannuation in legislation and requires a statement of compatibility to be included in the explanatory materials accompanying bills and regulations relating to superannuation.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/11/23
Senate:
(Attorney-General—s portfolio)
Amends the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 in relation to the communication of foreign intelligence information.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/8/23
- Passed 8/8/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/8/23
- Committee amendments: 13 AG negatived
- Passed 9/8/23
Assent: 10/8/23 (Act No. 51, 2023)
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the: Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Telecommunications Act 1997 and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards Act 1999 to amend the operation of the statutory infrastructure provider regime; Telecommunications Act 1997 to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to issue remedial notices to developers who do not install functional fibre-ready facilities in proximity to a development; Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 to enable the disclosure by the ACMA of certain information; Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to enable the minister to determine service areas that relate to a primary universal service provider; and Telecommunications Act 1997 and Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to make technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 7/12/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 7/12/23
(Act citation: Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Information Disclosure, National Interest and Other Measures) Act 2023)
(Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio)
Amends the: Telecommunications Act 1997 to: enable carriers and carriage service providers to use and disclose information for purposes connected to the prevention of a serious threat to the life or health of a person; authorise the use and disclosure of unlisted numbers and associated addresses for the purposes of dealing with matters raised by a call to an emergency service number; confer civil immunities on telecommunications companies for the provision of reasonably necessary assistance to the Commonwealth, states or territories where a national emergency declaration is in force; and require more detailed records of information to be recorded for authorised disclosures; and Telstra Corporation and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 and Telecommunications Act 1997 to make minor technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/11/22
- Passed 28/11/22
Senate:
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 17, 2023)
(Act citation: Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Act 2023)
(Health and Aged Care portfolio)
Amends the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to: require mandatory reporting of adverse events involving medical devices; provide a marketing approval pathway for biologicals that are for export only; remove merits review rights for a decision by the secretary to require a person to provide information or documents under the Act; enable the secretary to extend the period for a person to pay the amount stated in an infringement notice, and require a person to provide information or documents that are relevant to a contravention of the Act; extend the period for which seized goods can be held; provide that therapeutic goods advertising is excluded from advertising restrictions for certain health professionals or to persons purchasing goods on behalf of governments, registered charities or health facilities; enable the secretary to withdraw approval for the use of a restricted representation in an advertisement about therapeutic goods; enable the secretary to approve the importation or supply of substitute overseas prescription medicine that has been previously approved within Australia; provide that the secretary is not required to observe any requirements of the natural justice hearing rule when releasing therapeutic goods information; provide that sponsors of reportable medicines that are in shortage must provide updated information to the secretary; and make technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 8/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 2 AG negatived; 1 UAP negatived
- Committee amendments: 3 Govt agreed to; 11 AG negatived; 2 UAP negatived
- Passed 9/3/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 9/3/23
Assent: 21/3/23 (Act No. 10, 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Introduced with the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Amendment Bill 2023, the bill amends the Trade Support Loans Act 2014 to: cause the Trade Support Loans Priority List to lapse; enable the minister to determine a new Australian Apprenticeships Priority List; provide that a qualifying apprenticeship is, among other things, an apprenticeship through which a person is undertaking a qualification that leads to an occupation or qualification specified on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List; amend the title of the Act to the Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans Act 2014; and enable the secretary to extend the day by which an application for a particular payment instalment period may be made. Also makes consequential amendments to 5 Acts.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Ind (Ms Le) negatived
- Passed 14/6/23
Senate:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Committee amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Passed 9/8/23
Assent: 21/8/23 (Act No. 61, 2023)
(Dr Scamps — Ind)
The bill: establishes a framework for making transparent and quality public appointments, including the establishment of Independent Selection Panels and the Office of the Public Appointments Commissioner to issue guidelines on the making of public appointments and report annually on public appointment selection processes; and establishes the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 6/3/23
- Removed from Notice Paper 12/9/23
(Act citation: Treasury Laws Amendment (2022 Measures No. 4) Act 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: provide for a 30% refundable tax offset in relation to the development of digital games in Australia; and update the list of deductible gift recipients; A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999, A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 2019 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to clarify that certain digital currencies continue to be excluded from the income tax treatment of foreign currency; Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to enable the commissioner to determine alternative records which may be kept and retained by employers for fringe benefit tax record keeping purposes; Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to provide for temporary measures allowing certain small businesses to access 20% bonus deductions for eligible expenditure incurred on external training for employees, and expenses and depreciating assets for the purpose of digitising operations; Corporations Act 2001, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to extend existing reporting and auditing requirements to registerable superannuation entities; Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act 2012 to: amend the definition of —responsible ministers— and specify that the minister administering the Act is also the nominated minister unless determined otherwise in writing; credit the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) Special Account with $11.5 billion after commencement of the amendments; and enable additional amounts to be credited to the CEFC Special Account through additional appropriations of the Parliament; and Income Tax Assessment (1997 Act) Regulations 2021; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to: amend the definition of —superannuation income stream—; provide a non-refundable tax offset for certain members of the Military Superannuation Benefits Scheme and Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme; and specify eligibility criteria and a framework for a veterans— superannuation (invalidity pension) tax offset.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 23/11/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendment: 1 Ind (Mr Wilkie) negatived
- Passed 30/11/22
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 24/11/22 (SBC report no. 7 of 2022); progress report presented out of sitting 22/12/22; extension of time to report 7/2/23; report presented out of sitting 3/3/23
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Committee amendments: 2 Govt agreed to; 7 Opp negatived; 1 AG negatived; 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived
- Passed 21/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 21/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 29, 2023)
(Act citation: Treasury Laws Amendment (2022 Measures No. 5) Act 2023
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to update the list of deductible gift recipients.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Passed 1/12/22
Senate:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG negatived
- Passed 7/2/23
Assent: 16/2/23 (Act No. 2, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, Corporations Act 2001 and 42 other Acts to implement certain recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission—s Financial Services Interim Reports A and B to: —unfreeze— the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 so that the current version applies to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Corporations Act 2001; create a single glossary of defined terms in the Corporations Act 2001; repeal redundant definitions; address unclear or incorrect provisions; simplify unnecessarily complex provisions; and make consequential and contingent amendments; Insurance Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1991, Insurance Act 1973, Insurance Contracts Act 1984, Life Insurance Act 1995 and Terrorism and Cyclone Insurance Act 2003 to implement findings of the thematic review of insurance instruments due to sunset on 1 October 2023; Corporations Act 2001 and National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 to move certain matters currently in legislative instruments into primary law. Also makes minor and technical amendments to 10 Acts in the Treasury portfolio and repeals the ASIC Corporations (Superannuation and Schemes: Underlying Investments) Instrument 2016/378.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- Passed 1/8/23
Senate:
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 76, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to: allow the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to approve applications from one or more licensees to register on the Financial Advisers Register the same relevant provider; and allow assisted decision-making to be used for any purpose for which ASIC may make decisions in the performance or exercise of its functions or powers to register a relevant provider; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 to: provide the Australian Accounting Standards Board with functions to develop and formulate sustainability standards; expand the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board—s functions to include formulating auditing and assurance standards for sustainability purposes; and expand the Financial Reporting Council—s oversight and governance powers to account for the development of sustainability standards; Tax Agent Services Act 2009 to implement certain recommendations of the Review of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) by: amending the objects clause of the Act; creating a special account for the TPB; requiring tax practitioners not to employ or use a disqualified entity without the TPB—s approval, or enter an arrangement with a disqualified entity; converting the registration period from at least every three years to at least every year; and enabling the minister to supplement the existing Code of Professional Conduct; Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to align the income tax treatment of off-market share buy-backs undertaken by listed public companies with on-market share buy-backs; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: ensure the alignment of tax treatment across capital management activities for listed public companies; and prevent certain distributions that are funded by capital raisings from being frankable.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/2/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Opp negatived
- Passed 9/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 9/3/23 (SBC report no. 2 of 2023); progress report presented out of sitting 26/5/23; report presented out of sitting 2/6/23
- Introduced 9/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived
- Committee amendments: 16 Govt agreed to; 2 AG agreed to; 2 Opp negatived; 1 PHON negatived
- Passed 15/11/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 16/11/23
Assent: 27/11/23 (Act No. 101, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge—Fringe Benefits) Act 1999 and Medicare Levy Act 1986 to: increase the Medicare levy and Medicare levy surcharge low-income threshold amounts for individuals, families and individual taxpayers and families eligible for the seniors and pensioners tax offset; and increase the phase-in limits as a result of the increased threshold amounts; Commonwealth Banks Act 1959 to provide that the existing Commonwealth guarantee for pre-privatisation members of the Commonwealth Bank superannuation fund will continue to apply if the fund merges with another superannuation fund; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to enable eligible primary producers to treat certain carbon abatement income as primary production income for the purposes of the Farm Management Deposit Scheme and accessing income tax averaging arrangements for primary producers; Taxation Administration Act 1953 to reduce the gross domestic product adjustment factor for the 2023-24 financial year to 6 per cent; and National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to expand the objects of the Act to include assisting earlier access to the housing market for eligible individuals who have not held an ownership interest in real property in Australia in the preceding 10 years and single legal guardians of children.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 10/5/23
- Passed 25/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Committee amendments: 2 Opp agreed to
- Passed 16/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 19/6/23
Assent: 23/6/23 (Act No. 28, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to: prohibit schemes designed to avoid the application of a product intervention order relating to a credit facility; remove tertiary education requirements for financial advisers with 10 or more years— experience and a clean disciplinary record; address certain limitations in the education requirements for new entrants into the financial advice profession and financial advisers who are registered tax agents; make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Law Improvement Package No. 1) Act 2023 and Treasury Laws Amendment (Modernising Business Communications and Other Measures) Act 2023; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Corporations Act 2001 to enable the Australian Securities and Investment Commission to implement and enforce requirements on a monopoly provider of clearing and settlement (CS) services to achieve competitive outcomes; Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to provide the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with the power to conduct binding arbitration to resolve disputes regarding access to certain CS services; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: increase the discretion of the Commissioner of Taxation to amend and revoke First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme applications; enable individuals to withdraw or amend their FHSS Scheme applications before receiving a FHSS Scheme amount, and enabling those who withdraw to re-apply for FHSS Scheme releases in the future; enable the Commissioner of Taxation to return any FHSS Scheme amounts to superannuation funds, provided the amount has not yet been released to the individual; and clarify that FHSS Scheme amounts returned to superannuation funds do not count towards individuals— contribution caps.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 14/6/23
- Passed 1/8/23
Senate:
- Introduced 2/8/23
- Passed 6/9/23
Assent: 20/9/23 (Act No. 75, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Superannuation (Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions) Imposition Bill 2023, the bill amends: 7 Acts to make consequential amendments; the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 to enable the disclosure of information about a recognised assessment activity in relation to a registered entity in certain circumstances; the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority Act 2021 to reduce the frequency of certain periodic reviews; 6 Acts to make miscellaneous and technical amendments in the Treasury portfolio; the Corporations Act 2001 to provide four licensing exemptions for foreign financial services providers; and the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 and 4 other Acts in relation to the payments regulatory framework.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 30/11/23
Senate:
(Home Affairs portfolio)
Amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to establish action initiation reforms, enabling consumer data right (CDR) consumers to direct accredited persons to instruct on actions on their behalf, such as making a payment, opening and closing an account, switching providers and updating personal details, using the CDR framework.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 30/11/22
- Passed 15/2/23
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2023, Financial Accountability Regime (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2023, Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2023 and Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2023, the bill amends the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 to establish the financial services compensation scheme of last resort to provide compensation to eligible consumers in circumstances where an Australian Financial Complaints Authority determination awarding monetary compensation has been made in their favour, but which the relevant entity has not paid.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 8/3/23
- Passed 22/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 PHON negatived
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 3/7/23 (Act No. 46, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023 and National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Bill 2023, the bill amends: the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to rename the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to Housing Australia; the renamed Housing Australia Act 2018 to: streamline the functions of Housing Australia; establish an annual review mechanism for the National Housing Infrastructure Facility; and extend the Commonwealth guarantee of the liabilities of Housing Australia to apply to contracts entered into until 30 June 2028; and 10 Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Opp negatived; 2 AG negatived
- Passed 16/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); report tabled 22/3/23
- Introduced 6/3/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 AG negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 1 Govt agreed to; 1 Opp negatived; 5 Ind (Senator David Pocock) negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Passed 13/9/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendment 14/9/23
Assent: 28/9/23 (Act No. 81, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Introduced with the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023 [No. 2] and National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Bill 2023 [No. 2], the bill amends: the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to rename the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to Housing Australia; the renamed Housing Australia Act 2018 to: streamline the functions of Housing Australia; establish an annual review mechanism for the National Housing Infrastructure Facility; and extend the Commonwealth guarantee of the liabilities of Housing Australia to apply to contracts entered into until 30 June 2028; and 10 Acts to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 2/8/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 2/8/23
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to require Australian public companies to disclose information about their subsidiaries in their annual financial reports by way of a —consolidated entity disclosure statement—; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to amend the thin capitalisation rules to limit the amount of debt deductions that multinational entities can claim in an income year.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/6/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 5 Ind (Ms Spender) negatived
- Passed 9/8/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 22/6/23 (SBC report no. 7 of 2023); progress report presented out of sitting 31/8/23; extension of time to report 4/9/23; report presented out of sitting 22/9/23
- Introduced 9/8/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp agreed to (reference to committee — see below); 2 Opp negatived
- Reference: Govt amendments to bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 5/12/23; report due 5/2/24
(Previous title: Treasury Laws Amendment (Modernising Business Communications and Other Measures) Bill 2022)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Corporations Act 2001 to: enable all documents under the Act to be signed electronically and for certain documents to be sent in either hard copy or electronic form; and provide that companies are not required to send documents to a member where contact details are known to be incorrect; Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, Competition and Consumer Act 2010, National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and Tax Agent Services Act 2009 to enable certain regulatory bodies to hold virtual hearings and examinations; Corporations Act 2001, Excise Act 1901 and Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995 to allow electronic payments to be used; 11 Acts to require notices in newspapers to be published in an accessible and reasonably prominent manner; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, Corporations Act 2001, ASIC Supervisory Cost Recovery Levy Act 2017 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to: remove erroneous references and redundant definitions; apply consistent headings to definitions sections; and make minor technical amendments; Corporations Act 2001, National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and National Consumer Credit Protection (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2009 to move five legislative instruments into primary law; and 15 Acts to make minor technical amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 23/11/22
- Consideration in detail amendments: 2 Govt agreed to
- Passed 6/2/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 24/11/22 (SBC report no. 7 of 2022); progress report presented out of sitting 22/12/22; extension of time to report 7/2/23; report presented out of sitting 3/3/23
- Introduced 7/2/23
- Committee amendments: 2 AG negatived
- Passed 4/9/23
Assent: 14/9/23 (Act No. 69, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: International Tax Agreements Act 1953 to: give legislative authority to the Convention between Australia and Iceland for the elimination of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and the prevention of tax evasion and avoidance; and make minor amendments to update various notes; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: exempt certain subsidiaries of the Future Fund Board from income tax and include them as entities eligible for a refund of a tax offset relating to a franked distribution; and transfer administration of three register deductible gift recipient categories and the Overseas Aid Gift Deduction Scheme to the Commissioner of Taxation; Customs Act 1901 and Excise Act 1901 to enable an eligible business entity liable for excise duty for excisable goods or customs duty for excise-equivalent goods, being fuel and alcohol, to align their excise returns and customs returns with the return period for other indirect taxes which are separately lodged through a business activity statement; Excise Act 1901 to provide that the repackaging of beer that would otherwise be excise manufacture is not taken to be the manufacture of beer if it meets certain requirements; and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and Taxation Administration Act 1953 to make consequential amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 29/3/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 30/3/23 (SBC report no. 4 of 2023); progress report presented out of sitting 6/4/23; extension of time to report 9/5/23; report presented out of sitting 12/5/23
- Introduced 30/3/23
- Committee amendments: 3 Govt agreed to; 2 AG agreed to
- Passed 21/6/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 40, 2023)
(Treasury portfolio)
Partially implements the Government—s response to the review of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) by amending the Reserve Bank Act 1959 to: remove the Government—s power to override monetary policy decisions of the RBA and remove the RBA—s power to determine the lending policy of banks; clarify the objectives and functions of the RBA; replace the existing Reserve Bank Board with a Monetary Policy Board and Governance Board; and make consequential and minor amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 29/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23
Senate:
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to: increase the instant asset write-off threshold from $1,000 to $20,000 for the 2023-24 financial year; and provide small and medium businesses with access to a bonus tax deduction for the 2023-24 financial year relating to electrification and more efficient energy use; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Taxation Administration Act 1953 and A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999 to facilitate certain community charities achieving deductible gift recipient status; Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to: include two new entities on the list of deductible gift recipients and extend the listing for two other entities; extend the Global Infrastructure Hub—s income tax exemption for an additional year; broadly align existing tax requirements with a new accounting standard for insurance contracts; and amend the rules for non-arm—s length expenses for superannuation entities; Corporations Act 2001 to reinstate the Australian Financial Complaint Authority—s jurisdiction to hear certain complaints relating to superannuation; and Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Law Improvement Package No. 1) Act 2023 to make contingent amendments.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 13/9/23
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Economics Legislation Committee 19/10/23 (SBC report no. 12 of 2023); extension of time to report 13/11/23; report presented out of sitting 24/11/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Opp negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 5 Opp negatived; 19 Ind (Ms Steggall) negatived
- Passed 27/11/23
Senate:
- Introduced 27/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 27/11/23
(Treasury portfolio)
Amends the: Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and Taxation Administration Act 1953: to expand the operation of the promoter penalty provisions; and enable the sharing of certain protected information; Taxation Administration Act 1953 to extend whistleblower protections to eligible whistleblowers who make disclosures to the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB); and reverse the burden of proof for certain claims of protection; Tax Agent Services Act 2009 in relation to the Tax Practitioners Board TPB Register and the TPB—s delegation powers; and Petroleum Resource Rent Tax Assessment Act 1987 to limit the proportion of petroleum resource rent tax assessable income that can be offset by deductions to 90 per cent.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 16/11/23
- 2nd reading adjourned 16/11/23, 28/11/23
- Federation Chamber: Referred 28/11/23; 2nd reading adjourned 29/11/23, 30/11/23, 7/12/23; 2nd reading amendments: 1 Opp pending; 1 AG to Opp pending; 1 Ind (Ms Steggall) to AG pending; 1 Ind (Dr Haines) to Ind (Ms Steggall) pending; bill to be returned to House with unresolved question 7/12/23
Senate:
(Senator Thorpe — Ind)
The bill: establishes a framework for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the Commonwealth Government; and makes a consequential amendment to the Productivity Commission Act 1998.
Senate:
- Introduced 29/3/22
- Lapsed immediately before commencement of 47th Parliament 25/7/22
- Restored to Notice Paper at 2nd reading 27/7/22
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 Senator Dodson withdrawn
- Negatived at 2nd reading 6/12/23
(Veterans' Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to: provide annual reporting requirements for the Repatriation Medical Authority; and amend certain incorrect references; Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 to: replace references to —refuse to deal with the claim— with —defer further investigation of the claim— to better reflect actual practice; and provide for the alignment of rates of compensation for journey costs relating to treatment with the Comcare Scheme; and Defence Service Homes Act 1918 in relation to the operation of, and conditions to vary, revoke and replace, the Statement of Conditions for the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 22/3/23
- Passed 29/3/23
Senate:
- Introduced 30/3/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 41, 2023)
(Veterans— Affairs portfolio)
Amends the: Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 to reduce the qualifying period of employment of Australian Defence Force firefighters in relation to primary site oesophageal cancer from 25 years to 15 years and change the requirement for firefighting to have been a —substantial— proportion of their duties to be a —not insubstantial— proportion; Social Security Act 1991 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to allow payments and benefits from Commonwealth and State or Territory employment programs to not be considered as income for income support means testing purposes; Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to include a discretionary power to provide Commonwealth rent assistance beyond 26 weeks for eligible recipients who are temporarily absent from Australia and unable to return due to a prescribed event occurring; and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 and Veterans— Entitlements Act 1986 to extend eligibility to the Defence, Veterans— and Families— Acute Support Package to grandparents who are full time carers of the children of a deceased veteran.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 25/5/23
- Passed 31/5/23
Senate:
- Introduced 13/6/23
- Passed 22/6/23
Assent: 28/6/23 (Act No. 42, 2023)
(Environment and Water portfolio)
Amends the Water Act 2007 and Basin Plan 2012 to: expand the type of projects that can deliver the Basin Plan target of 450 gigalitres (GL) of additional environmental water; repeal the statutory 1,500 GL cap on Commonwealth water purchases; enable funds from the Water for the Environment Special Account to be used to enhance environmental outcomes in the Basin; provide additional time for Basin States to deliver Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) Adjustment Mechanism projects; enable the Inspector-General of Water Compliance to determine SDL compliance and require action plans; provide for a roadmap for the delivery of constraints relaxation projects across the Southern Basin; delay the review of the Act from 2024 until 2027; and implement recommendations of the Water market reform: final roadmap report in relation to water markets and water management in the Basin. Also amends the Water Act 2007 to make technical amendments in relation to First Ministers— Council; and makes consequential amendments to the Water Act 2007 and Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 6/9/23
- 2nd reading amendments 1 AG negatived; 1 Opp to AG negatived
- Consideration in detail amendments: 31 Govt agreed to; 1 CA agreed to; 4 Ind (Dr Haines) agreed to; 4 Ind (Ms Daniel) negatived; 2 Ind (Dr Haines) negatived
- Passed 18/10/23
Senate:
- Provisions of bill referred to Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 7/9/23 (SBC report no. 10 of 2023); extension of time to report 8/11/23; report tabled 10/11/23
- Introduced 19/10/23
- 2nd reading amendments: 1 Ind (Senator Van) agreed to; 1 Opp negatived; 1 PHON negatived; 1 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived
- Committee amendments: 20 Govt agreed to; 5 AG agreed to; 4 Ind (Senator David Pocock) agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator Thorpe) agreed to; 2 Ind (Senator Van) agreed to; 36 Opp negatived; 3 AG negatived; 12 Ind (Senator Thorpe) negatived; 3 Ind (Senator Thorpe) to 1 Govt negatived; 2 Ind (Senator Thorpe) to 1 AG negatived
- Passed 30/11/23
House of Representatives:
- House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments 30/11/23
Assent: 7/12/23 (Act No. 111, 2023)
(Act citation: Work Health and Safety Amendment Act 2023)
(Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio)
Amends the: Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to: include negligence as a fault element in relation to a category one offence; clarify that a work group is negotiated with workers who are proposed to form the work group; amend the obligation to train health and safety representatives to provide that representatives are entitled to choose a course of training; amend the process for the issuing and services of notices under the Act; enable an inspector, within 30 days of entering a workplace, to issue certain written notices relating to the reason for entry; specify that Comcare is able to share information with certain other persons for the purpose of performing functions under relevant laws; extend from 12 to 18 months the deadline for a person to make a request to the regulator to bring a prosecution for a category one or two offence; prohibit a person from entering into a contract of insurance to provide coverage over liability for monetary penalties imposed under the Act, and create a related offence; and Safe Work Australia Act 2008 to specify that Safe Work Australia may be provided with information necessary to its data and evidence functions.
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 1/12/22
- Passed 9/2/23
Senate:
- Introduced 9/2/23
- 2nd reading amendment: 1 AG agreed to
- Committee amendments: 2 PHON negatived; 1 Senator Canavan/Senator Antic/Senator Babet/Senator Rennick negatived
- Passed 9/3/23
Assent: 21/3/23 (Act No. 9, 2023)
(Women portfolio)
Amends the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 to: require the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) to publish gender pay gap information of relevant employers for each reporting period; rename the current —minimum standards— as —gender equality standards—; require relevant employers to provide executive summary and industry benchmark reports to all members of their governing body; include —sexual harassment—, —harassment on the ground of sex— or —discrimination— as gender equality indicators; change the title of the —Director— of the WGEA to —Chief Executive Officer—; and make a technical amendment to the definition of —reporting period—.
Senate:
- Introduced 8/2/23
- Bill referred to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee 9/2/23 (SBC report no. 1 of 2023); report presented out of sitting 16/3/23
- Passed 23/3/23
House of Representatives:
- Introduced 23/3/23
- Passed 30/3/23
Assent: 11/4/23 (Act No. 18, 2023)
MORE INFORMATION
For further information about the consideration of legislation in the Senate:
Bills and related material can be accessed at https://www.aph.gov.au/bills
Committee reports can be accessed at https://www.aph.gov.au/committees