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TOTAL RESULTS: 657

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Export Charges (Imposition—Excise) Amendment Bill 2019 and Export Charges (Imposition—General) Amendment Bill 2019, the bill amends the
    Export Charges (Imposition—Customs) Act 2015
    to make amendments consequential on the enactment of the Export Control Bill 2019 and the proposed repeal of the
    Export Charges (Collection) Act 2015

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Export Charges (Imposition—Customs) Amendment Bill 2019 and Export Charges (Imposition—General) Amendment Bill 2019, the bill amends the
    Export Charges (Imposition—Excise) Act 2015
    to make amendments consequential on the enactment of the Export Control Bill 2019 and the proposed repeal of the
    Export Charges (Collection) Act 2015

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Export Charges (Imposition—Customs) Amendment Bill 2019 and Export Charges (Imposition—Excise) Amendment Bill 2019, the bill amends the
    Export Charges (Imposition—General) Act 2015
    to make amendments consequential on the enactment of the Export Control Bill 2019 and the proposed repeal of the
    Export Charges (Collection) Act 2015

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Export Control Bill 2019 to create a new framework for regulating the export of goods, including agricultural products and food, from Australian territory, the bill: repeals 19 Acts; makes consequential amendments to nine Acts; and provides for transitional arrangements. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Export Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2019, the bill streamlines and consolidates existing legislation to create a new framework for regulating the export of goods, including agricultural products and food, from Australian territory. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Biosecurity Act 2015
    and
    Imported Food Control Act 1992
    to enable computerised decision-making for certain purposes. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Wine Australia Act 2013
    to provide for Wine Australia to establish and maintain a directory of labels that are attached to grape products such as wine intended for export from Australia. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Nov 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    to: provide that the rate of Farm Household Allowance (FHA) is not varied by the level of a person's income; and amend the FHA assets test so that all farm and non-farm assets (including water rights) will be subject to a combined single net value threshold of $5.5 million; and
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    and Farm Household Support Minister's Rule 2014 to: remove the requirement to have farm financial assessments conducted by a person prescribed by the minister's rules; specify that the amount of farm financial assessment supplement is the amount provided in the invoice for the farm financial assessment; require a person conducting a farm financial assessment to have appropriate qualifications or expertise; increase the maximum amount of activity supplement to $10 000; and extend the amount of activity supplement to include certain travel and accommodation costs associated with eligible activities. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Oct 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    and Farm Household Support Minister’s Rule 2014 to: increase access to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) program for eligible farmers and their partners to four years in every specified ten year period; and broaden the circumstances in which the off-farm income offset can be applied and increase the upper limit of the offset from $80 000 to $100 000; and
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    and
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to: provide for a one-off lump sum payment of $7500 (single recipient) or $6500 (members of a couple) for FHA recipients who have been payable for 1460 days of payment by 30 June 2020; and provide the minister with a power to determine who may qualify for, and the amount of, future relief payments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Sep 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
    in relation to: information to be taken into account by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) in determining applications; approval and registration for prescribed active constituents, chemical products or labels; limits on use of information; computerised decision-making by the APVMA; management of errors in an application at the preliminary assessment stage; variation of relevant particulars and conditions; variation of approval or registration during suspension; suspension or cancellation of approval or registration for provision of false or misleading information; notification and publication of voluntary recalls; obligations on holders and applicants to inform the APVMA of new information where it relates to the safety criteria; definition of ‘registered chemical product’; supply or registered chemical products with unapproved label; safety, efficacy, trade and labelling criteria; and clarification that the ‘expiry date’ is the date after which a chemical product must not be used;
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994
    and
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
    to simplify reporting requirements for annual returns;
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
    and
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
    in relation to: the establishment of civil pecuniary penalties for providing false or misleading information; the Maximum Residue Limits Standard; and minor and technical amendments, including the removal of redundant provisions; and
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
    to: remove the requirement for the APVMA to prepare an annual operational plan; and establish a governance board for the APVMA and cease the existing APVMA Advisory Board. Also repeals the
    Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment (Removing Re-approval and Re-registration) Act 2014

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    31 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Establishes an independent Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to oversee the Department of Agriculture in its role as the regulator of Australia’s live-stock exports. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    to: maintain the farm assets value limit for farm household assistance at $5 million; and ensure that allowable deductions are offset against the type of income to which they relate. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Nov 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture and Northern Australia 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Australian Animal Health Council (Live-stock Industries) Funding Act 1996
    to: facilitate the funding of emergency responses under emergency biosecurity response deeds other than the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement, including the proposed Emergency Response Deed for Aquatic Animal Diseases; provide for the Governor-General to make regulations prescribing certain matters; and remove redundant provisions that relate to honey, as honey-related levies are no longer paid to Animal Health Australia;
    Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002
    to: broaden the scope of permissible uses for Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) levies to include the promotion or maintenance of the health of an EPPR plant; provide for the secretary to determine by notifiable instrument a body in relation to a specified EPPR plant product; and remove redundant provisions that provide for the redirection of excess levies to research and development purposes; and
    Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2000
    and
    Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989
    to make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    16 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management 
    Summary
    The bill: appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes of making COVID-19 disaster payments in the 2021-22 financial year; and requires the Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency (NRAA) to include information in the NRRA’s annual report that relates to COVID-19 disaster payments made in the 2021-22 financial year. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 Feb 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    to: remove the use of business income reconciliation for the purposes of determining a person’s rate of farm household allowance; and remove the 28 day time limit for conducting a farm financial assessment. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    09 Feb 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Establishes a framework for a national voluntary agriculture biodiversity stewardship market to enable agricultural landholders to receive a tradeable certificate for undertaking projects that enhance or protect biodiversity in native species. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    01 Sep 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Biosecurity Act 2015
    to: expand pre-arrival reporting requirements for aircraft and vessels; strengthen penalties for non-compliance with negative pratique requirements; create a mechanism to make a human biosecurity group direction; increase civil and criminal penalties for contraventions of certain requirements in relation to goods; amend the process for making certain determinations specifying prohibited, conditionally non-prohibited and suspended goods or granting permits based on risk assessments; and provide legislative authority for expenditure for biosecurity-related programs and activities, such as surveillance programs for pests and diseases. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    to waive the repayment of certain classes of debts for farm household allowance (FHA) recipients arising from the business income reconciliation process for FHA payments between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2020. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Mar 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Biosecurity Act 2015
    to clarify the validity of certain determinations that specify that certain classes of goods are conditionally non-prohibited goods which must not be brought or imported into Australian territory unless they are covered by an import permit or unless alternative conditions specified in the determination are complied with. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Mar 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989
    to: implement Australia's obligations under the Basel Convention on the Control or Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal; apply the standard provisions of the
    Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014
    and insert new audit powers; update existing criminal offences and introduce new strict liability offences and civil penalties to cover non-compliance relating to the export, import and transit of hazardous waste; increase penalties for offences relating to the export, import and transit of hazardous waste and introduce new aggravated offences where the non-compliance results in injury or damage to human beings or the environment; authorise information sharing between Commonwealth, state and territory governments; introduce recordkeeping requirements and information gathering powers to protect, use and disclose information; and replace the Hazardous Waste Technical Group with a requirement to consult with persons with appropriate expertise; and
    Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
    to make a consequential amendment. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Mar 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001
    to: implement certain recommendations of the
    Independent Review of the Sydney Harbour Federal Trust
    by enabling the Harbour Trust to operate as an ongoing entity, amending processes relating to the appointment of members, increasing the threshold for ministerial approval of contracts to $5 million and providing for indexation of the threshold amount, and amending the processes for entering into long-term leases or licences; extend the existing regulation-making powers; establish compliance and enforcement powers; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Feb 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Biosecurity Act 2015
    to increase the civil and criminal penalty amounts for contraventions of certain key requirements relating to the assessment and management of biosecurity risks of goods that are brought or imported into Australian territory, and the carrying out of biosecurity activities in accordance with an approved arrangement. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    11 Nov 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Export Control Act 2020
    to: clarify the circumstances where a fit and proper person test is required for an application to vary a registration of an establishment, or to approve an alteration of an establishment; enable the rules to prescribe circumstances where the secretary may approve or refuse to approve a notice of intention to export prescribed goods; provide the secretary with the power to prescribe requirements in the rules for determining whether to issue or to refuse to issue an export permit; enable the rules to modify how certain provisions in the Act and the
    Administrative Appeals Tribunals Act 1975
    apply to reviewable decisions for tariff rate quotas; and enable the rules to apply matters contained in any instrument of a foreign country that sets out, or provides a method for calculating, the tariff rate quota for the importation of a kind of goods into that country. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Jun 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Biosecurity Act 2015
    to: enable regulations to prescribe different penalty amounts for infringement notices issued for different kinds of alleged contraventions; clarify that the regulations may prescribe different periods of time to pay an infringement notice depending on the kind of goods or class of goods to which an alleged contravention relates; enable the Director of Biosecurity to determine goods or classes of goods that can attract a higher infringement notice amount and provide that the determination is not disallowable; and enable the regulations to incorporate references to the determination as in force from time to time. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Jun 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Excise Levies Legislation Amendment (Sheep and Lamb) Bill 2020, the bill amends the
    National Residue Survey (Customs) Levy Act 1998
    and
    Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
    to align the definition of 'lamb' for the purposes of imposing certain levies and charges that are duties of customs with the definition used for export and industry purposes. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Jun 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Customs Charges and Levies Legislation Amendment (Sheep and Lamb) Bill 2020, the bill amends the
    National Residue Survey (Customs) Levy Act 1998
    and
    Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
    to align the definition of 'lamb' for the purposes of imposing certain levies and charges that are duties of excise with the definition used for export and industry purposes. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    14 May 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975
    to waive the requirement for permission holders to remit the environmental management charge to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for the period 1 January to 31 March 2020. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 May 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Export Control Act 1982
    and
    Export Control Act 2020
    to allow for the export of certain narcotic goods, such as medicinal cannabis and low-tetrahydrocannibinol hemp products. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 May 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
    to: impose an export charge on the export of dairy cattle; and amend the rate provision to provide for two different rates of charges: a per head charge on dairy cattle and a per kilogram charge on cattle other than dairy cattle. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    10 Feb 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Establishes a framework relating to potentially defamatory content posted on social media by: deeming a person who administers or maintains a social media page not to be a publisher of third-party material; deeming a social media service provider to be the publisher of material that is published on their service if it is posted in Australia; creating a conditional defence for social media service providers in defamation proceedings relating to material on their service that is posted in Australia if the provider meets certain conditions; empowering courts to issue end-user information disclosure orders to require providers of social media services to give the applicant relevant contact details and country location data in certain circumstances; requiring social media companies to have a nominated entity incorporated in Australia able to discharge certain key obligations; and enabling the Attorney-General to intervene in defamation proceedings on behalf of the Commonwealth and authorise a grant of legal assistance. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Nov 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021, the bill amends the:
    Age Discrimination Act 2004
    ,
    Disability Discrimination Act 1992
    ,
    Sex Discrimination Act 1984
    and
    Racial Discrimination Act 1975
    to amend or insert objects clauses to provide that, in giving effect to the objects of each Act, regard must be had to the indivisibility and universality of human rights and their equal status in international law, and the principle that every person is free and equal in their dignity and rights;
    Charities Act 2013
    to provide that otherwise charitable entities that engage in lawful activities promoting a traditional view of marriage are undertaking those activities for the public benefit and not contrary to public policy; and
    Marriage Act 1961
    to allow religious educational institutions to refuse to provide facilities, goods or services in relation to the solemnisation of a marriage in accordance with their religious beliefs. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Nov 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021, the bill amends the:
    Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
    to: extend the Australian Human Rights Commission’s complaints-handling functions to complaints of unlawful religious discrimination under the
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    , when enacted; and establish the Religious Discrimination Commissioner as a member of the commission;
    Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
    and
    Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
    to allow the Inspector-General to inquire into acts or practices of intelligence agencies that may be inconsistent with or contrary to the
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    , referred by the Australian Human Rights Commission;
    Civil Aviation Act 1988
    to provide that civil aviation regulations may be inconsistent with the
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    if necessary for the safety of air navigation;
    Fair Work Act 2009
    (FWA) to recognise the
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    as an anti-discrimination law for the purposes of the FWA’s general protection provisions;
    Sea Installations Act 1987
    (SIA) to recognise the
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    as an anti-discrimination law for the purposes of the SIA; and
    Religious Discrimination Act 2021
    to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Act 2021
    (Vic). 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Nov 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021 and Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021, the bill: prohibits discrimination on the basis of a person’s religious belief or activity in a range of areas of public life, including in relation to employment, education, access to premises and the provision of goods, services and accommodation; establishes general and specific exceptions from the prohibition of religious discrimination; provides that certain statements of belief do not constitute discrimination for the purposes of certain specified Commonwealth, state or territory anti-discrimination laws; creates offences in relation to victimisation and discriminatory advertisements; establishes the office of the Religious Discrimination Commissioner; confers certain functions on the Australian Human Rights Commission; and provides for miscellaneous matters including delegation of powers or functions, protection from civil actions and a review of the operation of the Act. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    20 Oct 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends 41 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. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Aug 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Crimes Act 1918
    to: repeal section 19AA which applies remissions or reductions under state or territory laws to federal sentences; and make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Aug 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to extend the operation of the declared areas provisions for a further 3 years and the control order regime and the preventative detention orders (PDO) regime for a further 15 months;
    Intelligence Services Act 2001
    to provide that the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security may review the operation, effectiveness and proportionality of the declared areas provisions prior to their sunset date;
    Crimes Act 1914
    to extend the operation of the stop, search and seizure powers for a further 15 months; and
    Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010
    to extend the reporting date for the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor’s review of continuing detention orders for high risk terrorist offenders to as soon as practicable after 7 December 2021. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010
    to: enable the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) to report on own-motion inquiries in standalone reports; provide that the INSLM's annual report may include information relating to the performance of the INSLM's functions in relation to a referral from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; specify reporting arrangements for statutory reviews conducted by the INSLM; provide a framework for the engagement of staff (including contractors) to assist the INSLM in the performance of its functions or exercise of its powers; and provide current and former staff of the INSLM with certain legal protections during the course of assisting the INSLM with performing functions or exercising powers of the INSLM. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Implements certain recommendations of the Australian Human Rights Commission report,
    Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces
    by amending the:
    Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
    to: amend the definition of 'unlawful discrimination'; and extend the period of time between an alleged incident and the lodging of a complaint in relation to the President's discretion to terminate a complaint;
    Fair Work Act 2009
    to: provide that a worker who is sexually harassed at work may apply for a Fair Work Commission (FWC) order to stop the sexual harassment; provide that the FWC can make an order to stop sexual harassment following a single instance of sexual harassment; provide that sexual harassment in connection with an employee’s employment can be a valid reason for dismissal; and extend the minimum entitlement for compassionate leave in relation to miscarriage; and
    Sex Discrimination Act 1984
    to: prohibit discrimination involving harassment on the ground of sex; extend the application of the Act to members of parliament, members of the ACT and Northern Territory legislative assemblies and their staff, judges, staff and consultants employed under the
    Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984
    , state employees, including independent contractors; and the public authority of a state; and include definitions of 'worker' and 'persons conducting a business or undertaking' to extend the protection from sexual harassment to all paid and unpaid workers, including volunteers, interns and the self-employed. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    23 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
    ,
    Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975
    ,
    Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988
    ,
    Paid Parental Leave Act 2010
    and
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to standardise, across all divisions, the powers of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) to issue summonses to require persons to give evidence or produce documents;
    Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975
    in relation to: procedural fairness; alternative dispute resolution processes; constitution and reconstitution of the AAT; dismissal powers; correction of errors; appointments, authorisations and assignments; taxation of costs; and protection and immunity of reviewers in the Immigration Assessment Authority;
    Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988
    in relation to applications for review of child support decisions;
    Admiralty Act 1988
    to align the Admiralty Rules with the rules of federal courts;
    Foreign Judgments Act 1991
    ,
    Foreign States Immunities Act 1985
    and
    International Arbitration Act 1974
    to provide certain procedural protections to foreign States;
    Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975
    ,
    Federal Court of Australia Act 1976
    ,
    Judiciary Act 1903
    and
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to make minor and technical amendments;
    Family Law Act 1975
    ,
    Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021
    ,
    Federal Court of Australia Act 1976
    and
    Judiciary Act 1903
    to clarify that hearings conducted remotely using videoconferencing technology are exercised in 'open court';
    Federal Court of Australia Act 1976
    to allow for short form reasons in the court's appellate jurisdiction in civil proceedings; and
    Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918
    and
    Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004
    to make consequential and technical amendments. Also repeals the
    Nauru (High Court Appeals) Act 1976

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Mar 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends: the
    Family Law Act 1975
    to: establish new federal family violence orders which, if breached, can be criminally enforced; and broaden the protections for Registrars of a Family Court of a State in conducting conferences; six Acts to make consequential amendments; and the
    Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021
    to broaden the protections for the Chief Executive Officer, Senior Registrars and Registrars in the Federal Circuit and Family Court in conducting conferences. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Mar 2021 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    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 Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability outside of a private session, where the commission indicated that it would be treated as confidential; enable certain members of a Royal Commission to make non-publication directions; and enable a Commonwealth Royal Commission, during the course of inquiring into a matter, to communicate information and evidence to a Royal Commission, or commission of inquiry, of a state or territory; and
    Freedom of Information Act 1982
    to exempt certain information given to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability from the operation of the Act. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    09 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends: the
    Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
    to: extend the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security's (IGIS) jurisdiction to the intelligence functions of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC); streamline the IGIS's reporting procedures; make technical amendments to clarify the operation of the Act, modernise drafting expressions and remove redundant provisions; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Act 2020
    ; the
    Intelligence Services Act 2001
    to extend the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security's jurisdiction to the intelligence functions of AUSTRAC; 17 Acts to make consequential amendments; the
    Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006
    and
    Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
    to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020
    ; and nine Acts to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2020

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the National Emergency Declaration Bill 2020 to implement a recommendation of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, the bill amends: 24 Acts, four regulations and four ordinances that contain powers that are used by the Commonwealth when responding to, or supporting the recovery from, emergencies to enable the use of alternative or simplified statutory tests to streamline the exercise of those powers where a national emergency has been declared; and
    National Emergency Declaration Act 2020
    and
    Radiocommunications Act 1992
    to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Radiocommunications Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Act 2020

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the National Emergency Declaration (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020 to implement a recommendation of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, the bill: establishes a framework for the declaration of a national emergency by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister; enables ministers to suspend, vary or substitute administrative requirements in legislation they administer in certain circumstances; and enables the Prime Minister to require Commonwealth entities to report on available stockpiles, assets and resources, and options and recommendations to respond to a national emergency. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends: six Acts to remove current provisions providing for regulatory regimes and apply the standard provisions of the
    Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014
    ; and the
    Regulatory Powers (Standards Provisions) Act 2014
    to make minor amendments to the ability of monitoring powers to be exercised in relation to matters and the descriptions of offence provisions and provisions relating to infringement notices which might apply to the contravention of both a civil penalty and criminal offence provision. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Oct 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Native Title Act 1993
    to extend the operation of Subdivision JA, which requires native title holders and claimants to be notified about proposed public works and provides them with an opportunity to be consulted about the impact of the proposed future act on their native title rights and interests, for a further 10 years. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Sep 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to provide for a State or Territory Supreme Court to make an extended supervision order (ESO) as an alternative to a continuing detention order, which may impose conditions on high risk terrorist offenders;
    National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004
    to provide for the availability of court-only evidence in ESO proceedings;
    Crimes Act 1914
    ,
    Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979
    and
    Surveillance Devices Act 2004
    to extend the application of the existing control order monitoring warrant provisions to the monitoring of ESOs;
    Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979
    and
    Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977
    to make consequential amendments; and
    Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979
    to make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Act 2020

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020, the bill amends the:
    Freedom of Information Act 1982
    to exclude the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide, and the Attorney-General's Department to the extent they hold documents related to the performance and exercise of functions or powers of the commissioner, from the application of the Act; and
    Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
    to allow the commissioner to be prescribed under the regulations to enable the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to voluntarily disclose information to the commissioner. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020, the bill establishes the National Commissioner for Defence and Veterans Suicide Prevention, as an independent statutory office holder, to examine defence and veteran deaths by suicide through a broad range of functions and powers, in order to support the prevention of future deaths by suicide. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    26 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Family Law Act 1975
    to provide that: family risk screening information is confidential and cannot be disclosed except in limited circumstances; family safety risk information is inadmissible in court, except in limited circumstances; and court workers (such as registrars and family counsellors) have immunity when involved in family risk screening procedures. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    12 May 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Privacy Act 1988
    to: incorporate into primary legislation the provisions of the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements—Public Health Contact Information) Determination 2020 to provide privacy protections for users of, and data collected by, the COVIDSafe app; and introduce additional privacy protections. Also repeals the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements—Public Health Contact Information) Determination 2020; and provides for the future repeal of certain definitions and Part VIIIA of the
    Privacy Act 1988

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    12 Feb 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends 10 Acts to: replace references to specific provisions of regulations with more general means of identifying the provisions, so that the correct links between the contents of regulations and Acts will remain even if the regulations are remade, renamed or renumbered; and make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    05 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill 2019, the bill amends: the
    Family Law Act 1975
    and
    Federal Court of Australia Act 1976
    to make consequential amendments to align these Acts with the operation of the newly created Federal Circuit and Family Court (FCFC); the proposed
    Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2019
    to make an amendment consequential on the commencement of certain changes enacted by the
    Public Sector Superannuation Legislation Amendment Act 2018
    ; five Acts in relation to making rules of court; 132 Acts to make further consequential amendments; and various Acts to make amendments contingent on the commencement of nine Acts. Also provides for transitional arrangements in relation to the judges and personnel of the FCFC, court administration and appeals; and repeals the
    Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    05 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2019, the bill unifies the administrative structure of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia to create the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, comprised of Division 1 (which will be a continuation of the Family Court) and Division 2 (which will be a continuation of the Federal Circuit Court). 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends: the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: amend the offence of bribery of a foreign public official to extend the definition of foreign public official to include a candidate for office, remove the requirement that the foreign official must be influenced in the exercise of the official's duties, replace the requirement that a benefit and business advantage must be 'not legitimately due' with the concept of 'improperly influencing' a foreign public official, and extend the offence to cover bribery to obtain a personal advantage; and create a new offence of failure of a body corporate to prevent foreign bribery by an associate; the
    Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983
    to implement a Commonwealth Deferred Prosecution Agreement scheme to enable the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to invite a person that has engaged in serious corporate crime to negotiate an agreement to comply with a range of specified conditions; and five Acts to make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Nov 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends: the
    Family Law Act 1975
    and
    Bankruptcy Act 1966
    to: give effect to a referral of power from Western Australia to the Commonwealth in respect of superannuation matters in family law proceedings for separating de facto couples in Western Australia; extend federal bankruptcy jurisdiction to the Family Court of Western Australia to hear bankruptcy proceedings concurrently with family law proceedings; and provide for transitional arrangements; and 21 Acts to make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Oct 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Native Title Act 1993
    to: allow a native title claim or compensation group to impose conditions on the authority of its authorised applicant and require public notification of any such conditions; clarify the duties of the applicant to the claim group; allow the applicant to act by majority as the default position; allow the composition of the applicant to be changed without further authorisation in certain circumstances; allow the claim group to put in place succession-planning arrangements for individual members of the applicant; allow body corporate Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) to cover areas where native title has been extinguished; remove the requirement for the Native Title Registrar to notify an area ILUA unless satisfied it meets the ILUA requirements; allow minor amendments to be made to an ILUA without a new registration process; specify that the removal of an ILUA from the register does not invalidate future acts subject to that ILUA; extend the circumstances in which historical extinguishment can be disregarded to areas of national, state or territory parks, and certain pastoral leases; allow a registered native title body corporate to bring a compensation application over an area where native title has been extinguished; require the registrar to create and maintain a public record of section 31 agreements; and make a number of technical amendments; and
    Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
    (CATSI Act) to: require registered native title bodies corporate (RNTBC) constitutions to include dispute resolution pathways for persons who are or who claim to be common law holders, and provide for all the common law holders to be directly or indirectly represented in the RNTBC; limit the grounds for cancelling the membership of a member of a RNTBC to certain grounds; remove the discretion of directors of RNTBCs to refuse certain membership applications; specify that the registrar may place a RNTBC under special administration in certain circumstances; and ensure that proceedings in respect of a civil matter arising under the Act that relate to a RNTBC are to be instituted and determined exclusively in the Federal Court, unless transferred to another court with jurisdiction; confirm the validity of certain section 31 agreements; and provide that a person would be entitled to compensation if the bill effects the acquisition of property of a person other than on just terms (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution). 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    11 Sep 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Crimes Act 1914
    to: insert community safety as a factor that can be taken into account to revoke the parole of a federal offender without notice; remove the requirement to seek leave before a recorded interview of a vulnerable witness can be admitted as evidence in chief; remove the requirement for vulnerable witnesses to be available to give evidence at committal proceedings; introduce mandatory minimum penalties for certain Commonwealth child sex offences and offenders; require a court to state and record the reasons for granting bail; insert a presumption against bail for certain Commonwealth child sex offenders; insert additional factors which must be taken into account when sentencing federal offenders; require the court to have regard to certain rehabilitation considerations when sentencing Commonwealth child sex offenders; insert presumptions in favour of cumulative sentences and actual terms of imprisonment for Commonwealth child sex offenders; impose certain requirements on Commonwealth child sex offenders under a recognizance release order; add ‘residential treatment orders’ as a sentencing alternative for intellectually disabled offenders; reduce the amount of ‘clean street time’ that can be credited against the outstanding sentence following commission of an offence by a person on parole and licence; require a period of time to be served in custody if a federal offender’s parole order is revoked; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment Act 2019
    and
    Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Act 2019
    ;
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: clarify the scope of the definition of ‘engage in sexual activity’; insert a range of new aggravated offences for child sexual abuse; insert new offences relating to ‘grooming’ and the provision of electronic services to facilitate dealings with child abuse material online; increase the maximum penalties for certain Commonwealth child sex offences and breaches of reporting requirements; insert new additional factors for mandatory consideration at sentencing; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment Act 2019

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    01 Aug 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Crimes Act 1914
    to: expand the existing presumption against bail and parole for persons charged or convicted of a terrorism offence to include persons being considered for bail for a further federal offence, persons the subject of a control order and persons who have demonstrated support for, or have links to, terrorist activity; and make it explicit that the best interests of a child must be considered as a primary consideration by the relevant decision maker at the key points in the criminal justice processes of bail, sentencing and parole; and
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: expand eligibility for the continuing detention order (CDO) scheme by ensuring that terrorist offenders who are currently serving a period of imprisonment for a terrorism offence and another offence remain eligible for consideration for a CDO at the conclusion of their term of imprisonment; and amend the information disclosure obligations in relation to sensitive national security information in CDO applications. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to introduce two new offences in relation to the incitement of trespass or property offences on agricultural land. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    16 Oct 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Broadcasting Services Act 1992
    to: remove duplicative requirements for licensees, publishers and controllers to notify the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of certain changes in control of regulated media assets; remove requirements for certain television broadcasters to apply different classification standards for films when developing industry codes of practice; remove certain classification-related licence conditions on commercial television and community television broadcasting licensees and providers of open narrowcasting services; and amend two statutory publication requirements;
    National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011
    to permit an NBN corporation to supply non-communications goods to another person in certain circumstances;
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    to: correct a technical error in relation to the admissibility of certain evidence in court proceedings; remove the requirement for the ACMA to consult with an advisory committee before declaring a submarine cable protection zone; and remove the ability of NBN Co to issue and keep a register of statements that it will not be installing fibre in a new real estate development;
    Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999
    to restore an inadvertently repealed provision clarifying that certain determinations of the minister are not legislative instruments;
    Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Broadcasting Reform) Act 2017
    to: increase the transitional support payment for Network Investments from $632 000 to $819 000; and provide for transitional arrangements;
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    and
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    to amend the statutory information collection powers of the ACMA and the ACCC;
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983
    ,
    Broadcasting Services Act 1992
    and
    Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991
    to make technical amendments; and
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    and three other Acts to enable the development of an industry-based scheme for the management of telephone numbering resources. Also repeals 53 Act spent and redundant Acts; and makes amendments to four Acts to make consequential amendments and repeal redundant provisions. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends six Acts to: provide national collecting institutions with broader investment powers in relation to donated revenue than those currently permitted by the
    Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
    ; and make administrative amendments, including standardising delegation powers and the maximum length of service for governing body members, removing ministerial approval requirements in relation to routine financial transactions and assets disposals, and removing certain reporting requirements. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Dec 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    to: extend the existing prohibition on developers who are constitutional corporations from selling or leasing a building lot or building unit in a new development unless fibre-ready facilities are installed in proximity to the lot or unit to all types of developers, whether incorporated or unincorporated; clarify that a fibre-ready facility must be technically capable of being used in connection with an optical fibre line; and make a technical correction. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Radiocommunications Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Bill 2020 and Radiocommunications (Transmitter Licence Tax) Amendment Bill 2020, the bill amends the
    Radiocommunications (Receiver Licence Tax) Act 1983
    to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority to determine whether, for a specified class of licences with longer than 12 months duration, the receiver licence tax is imposed on the issue of the licence for the full period the licence is in force, or whether it should be paid in annual instalments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Radiocommunications Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Bill 2020 and Radiocommunications (Receiver Licence Tax) Amendment Bill 2020, the bill amends the
    Radiocommunications (Transmitter Licence Tax) Act 1983
    to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority to determine whether, for a specified class of licences with longer than 12 months duration, the transmitter licence tax is imposed on the issue of the licence for the full period the licence is in force, or whether it should be paid in annual instalments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Aug 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Radiocommunications (Receiver Licence Tax) Amendment Bill 2020 and Radiocommunications (Transmitter Licence Tax) Amendment Bill 2020, the bill amends: the
    Radiocommunications Act 1992
    to: amend the object of the Act; provide for the minister to issue ministerial policy statements which the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) must have regard to in exercising its spectrum management; require ACMA to publish an annual work program covering a minimum five-year period; streamline spectrum allocation and re-allocation processes; extend maximum licence terms for apparatus and spectrum licences, confer certain powers on ACMA to make equipment rules that prescribe standards of equipment and impose obligations or prohibitions in relation to equipment; make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2020
    ; expand ACMA's accreditation, compliance and enforcement, and information-gathering powers; make miscellaneous amendments in relation to ACMA's powers to grant exemptions from penalty provisions, exemptions for Defence related activities, and ACMA's ability to use computer assisted decision making; and extend the maximum duration of spectrum and apparatus licences; the
    Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005
    in relation to annual reporting requirements; the
    Radiocommunications Act 1991
    and four other Acts to repeal the datacasting transmitter licence framework; the
    Radiocommunications Act 1992
    and
    Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005
    to repeal redundant provisions in relation to public inquiries; and five Acts to make consequential or minor amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    11 Jun 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Broadcasting Services Act 1992
    to: enable regional commercial radio broadcasting licensees to nominate to split exemption periods from local news and information content obligations into two periods, together totalling no more than five weeks; amend the minimum service standard obligations which apply after a trigger event occurs; and permit regional and remote commercial television broadcasting licensees to be deemed to have complied with the multi-channel Australian content quota obligation in certain circumstances; and
    Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005
    to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority to delegate an information-gathering power. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Nov 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer) Bill 2019, the bill establishes an ongoing funding arrangement for fixed wireless and satellite infrastructure (the Regional Broadband Scheme) by imposing a monthly charge on carriers, including NBN Co Ltd, in relation to each premises connected to their network that has an active fixed-line superfast broadband service during the month. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Nov 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Telecommunications (Regional Broadband Scheme) Charge Bill 2019, the bill amends the:
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    and
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    in relation to: Layer 2 bitstream services; and statutory infrastructure providers;
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    and
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    and two legislative instruments in relation to local access lines;
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    ,
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    and
    Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999
    in relation to funding of fixed wireless broadband and satellite broadband; and
    National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011
    to require NBN Co to provide certain data about premises connected, or due to be connected, to the NBN. Also repeals four declarations. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    31 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983
    to: amend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Charter to require the ABC to broadcast programs that contribute to a sense of regional and national identity, and inform and entertain, and reflect the geographic and cultural diversity of, the Australian community; require the ABC Board to have two members with a substantial connection to, or substantial experience in, a regional area through business, industry or community involvement; establish a Regional Advisory Council to advise the ABC Board; and require the ABC Board to report annually on a range of additional matters, including the total number of individuals employed in regional and metropolitan areas, and the journalist to support staff ratio of employees. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    21 Oct 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts 
    Summary
    Amends: the
    Telecommunications Act 1997
    to: define Telstra successor companies and designated Telstra successor entities and replace references to Telstra with references to the successor entities; allow the Minister and Australian Communications and Media Authority to make determinations relating to the designated successor entities; and make technical and consequential amendments; Telstra Corporation Act 2001 to extend existing regulations relating to the operation and ownership of Telstra to its successor entities; the
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    to: extend existing regulations relating to the operation and ownership of Telstra to its successor entities; and make consequential amendments; the
    Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999
    to: extend the Minister's powers to impose service provider obligations to Telstra's successor entities and retail price controls on each successor entity; and make consequential technical amendments; and amends three regulations, four determinations and a code of access in relation to ownership of Telstra shares, access to telecommunications infrastructure, carrier licence conditions, emergency call persons and services, real estate development exemptions, arbitration and sunsetting. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Feb 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Online Safety Bill 2021, the bill: repeals the
    Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015
    ; makes consequential amendments to 10 Acts; amends the
    Crimes Act 1914
    ,
    Export Market Development Grants Act 1997
    and
    Online Safety Act 2021
    , when enacted, to make amendments contingent on the commencement of certain other Acts; and contains transitional and application provisions. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Feb 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Online Safety (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021, the bill: retains and replicates certain provisions in the
    Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015
    , including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images scheme; specifies basic online safety expectations; establishes an online content scheme for the removal of certain material; creates a complaints-based removal notice scheme for cyber-abuse being perpetrated against an Australian adult; broadens the cyber-bullying scheme to capture harms occurring on services other than social media; reduces the timeframe for service providers to respond to a removal notice from the eSafety Commissioner; brings providers of app distribution services and internet search engine services into the remit of the new online content scheme; and establishes a power for the eSafety Commissioner to request or require internet service providers to disable access to material depicting, promoting, inciting or instructing in abhorrent violent conduct for time-limited periods in crisis situations. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    12 Aug 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Defence Force Discipline Act 1982
    to: expand the operation of the disciplinary infringement scheme to provide a means of dealing with minor breaches of military discipline; remove the subordinate summary authority and correct a number of anomalies with regard to the respective jurisdiction of discipline officers and summary authorities, and between the different types of summary authority, in relation to the type of breach of military discipline, the rank of defence members with which each can deal, and the powers and punishments available to each level of authority; establish new service offences for failure to perform duty or carry out an activity, cyber-bullying, failure to comply with removal order (in relation to material on social media that constitutes cyber-bullying) and failure to comply with requirement to notify change in circumstances (in relation to the receipt of a benefit or allowance); and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Online Safety Act 2021
    ; and
    Defence Force Discipline Act 1982
    and
    Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955
    to make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Sep 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Defence Act 1903
    to: streamline the process for calling out members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reserves, including for the purposes of responding to natural disasters or emergencies; and provide ADF members, other Defence personnel and members of foreign forces with immunity from criminal or civil liability in certain cases while performing duties to support civil emergency and disaster preparedness, recovery and response;
    Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001
    to ensure that Reserve members who are subject to a Reserve Call Out Order will continue to receive the existing protections; and
    Australian Defence Force Cover Act 2015
    ,
    Australian Defence Force Superannuation Act 2015
    and
    Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991
    to ensure that Reserve members rendering continuous full-time service will receive the same entitlement to superannuation and related benefits regardless of whether it was voluntary or not. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 Feb 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008
    to extend the period after a member leaves the Australian Defence Force (ADF) within which they can access the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme, from two to five years;
    Australian Defence Force Superannuation Act 2015
    to enable former ADF members, who have provided at least 12 months of service, to continue to make contributions to their ADF Super accounts; and
    Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993
    to require ADF Super to obtain relevant insurance products for ADF Super members who are no longer serving in the ADF. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Oct 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to insert a new definition of ‘academic freedom’ and replace references to 'free intellectual inquiry' with the allied concepts of 'freedom of speech' and 'academic freedom'. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    26 Feb 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Australian Education Act 2013
    to: introduce a new measure of income methodology for calculating a school community's capacity to contribute financially to a non-government school; enable adjustments to be made to the transition pathways of non-government schools to a nationally consistent Commonwealth share of the Schooling Resource Standard; and provide the authority and appropriation for the Commonwealth to make GST-inclusive payments where necessary. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    26 Feb 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
    and
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
    to specify that a provider is eligible for Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (child wellbeing) in respect of certain prescribed classes of children, such as foster children;
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
    to extend the backdating of ACCS (child wellbeing) certificates and determinations from the current period of 28 days to up to 13 weeks in prescribed exceptional circumstances; extend the period from 13 weeks to up to 12 months in which an ACCS (wellbeing) determination can be made for certain prescribed classes of children, such as children on a long term child protection order, including those in foster care; and
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
    to: correct minor technical drafting errors; and modify how child care subsidy (CCS) entitlements are reviewed when an individual, who is a member of a couple for some but not all of the CCS fortnights in an income year, meets the CCS reconciliation conditions. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Student Identifiers Act 2014
    to: enable the extension of the unique student identifier from vocational education and training (VET) to higher education students; expand the powers and functions of the Student Identifiers Registrar to include the operation of the student identifier in the higher education sector; and make minor amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Education Legislation Amendment (Tuition Protection and Other Measures) Act 2019
    and
    Student Identifiers Amendment (Enhanced Student Permissions) Act 2019

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Dec 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011
    to: create a new criminal offence of providing or advertising an academic cheating service on a commercial basis; and broaden the role of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency to include the prevention and minimisation of the use and promotion of academic cheating services in courses provided by higher education providers. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    16 Oct 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to: increase the combined Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) loan limit to $152 700 for students undertaking eligible aviation courses with approved providers on or after 1 January 2020; enable the minister to determine the aviation courses for which the higher HELP loan limit will apply; reduce indexation on a person’s outstanding accumulated HELP debt while they are teaching in a school in a very remote location of Australia; and provide for all or part of a person’s HELP debt associated with their initial teacher education course to be remitted after they have undertaken an equivalent of four years’ full time work in a very remote location of Australia; and
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    ,
    Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (Student Loan Sustainability) Act 2018
    and
    VET Student Loans Act 2016
    to allow the Department of Human Services restricted access to higher education data and VET student loans data in order to administer student benefits. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Sep 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Australian Research Council Act 2001
    to: apply indexation to existing appropriation amounts for the financial years commencing on 1 July 2019, 1 July 2020 and 1 July 2021; and insert a new funding cap for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2022. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    18 Sep 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
    to: amend the requirement on child care providers for the issuing of Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) certificates by removing the 50 per cent limit on the number of children that a provider can self-certify for ACCS; enable the minister to prescribe circumstances in which a third party may contribute to meeting the cost of an individual’s child care fees without affecting that individual’s child care subsidies (CCS); enable the minister to prescribe specific circumstances in which CCS can be paid where the child is absent at the start or end of an enrolment; and include the In Home Care rate alongside the rates for other care types, and the capacity for the minister to specify eligibility criteria and care requirements that must be met for access to Commonwealth-subsidised In Home Care places; and
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
    to: increase the number of weeks at which enrolments automatically cease due to non-attendance from 8 to 14 weeks; clarify that certain decisions must first be subject to internal review before application is made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; simplify the process for making claims for CCS; ensure that where an approved provider of child care service is suspended or cancelled, access to CCS is automatically suspended or cancelled; and enable child care providers to request voluntary suspension of their approval in appropriate circumstances. Also makes refinements, corrections and consequential amendments to both Acts. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    25 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011
    to implement certain recommendations of the
    Review of the impact of the TEQSA Act on the higher education sector
    by: removing references to specific categories of non-threshold standards; removing unnecessary references to 'the Research Minister' and requiring that advice on new standards need only be sought from that minister in certain circumstances; requiring TEQSA to advise the minister and the Higher Education Standards Panel (the panel) before it undertakes a quality review that could have certain impacts; providing that overseas universities can offer a course of study not wholly or mainly provided from Australian premises, and use the word 'university' to represent its operations, without committing an offence; providing that a quorum for TEQSA meetings is a majority of commissioners; expanding the skill set that the minister must ensure is encompassed by the panel members; expanding the functions of the panel; providing a consent-based exception to the offence of unauthorised disclosure or use of information; allowing TEQSA to disclose certain higher education and personal information to the minister, the secretary and relevant officers; and allowing TEQSA to disclose information for research purposes and to a complainant in relation to a complaint without the consent of the body to which the information applies. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Higher Education Support Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2019, the bill imposes an annual charge on all higher education providers whose students are entitled to HECS-HELP assistance or FEE-HELP assistance. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Higher Education Support (Charges) Bill 2019, the bill amends the
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to: implement an application fee for applications for approval as higher education providers whose students are entitled to FEE-HELP assistance; and provide for the collection and administration of the annual charge on higher education providers. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education and Youth 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students (TPS Levies) Amendment Bill 2021, Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Cost Recovery and Other Measures) Bill 2021 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, the bill amends the
    Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Act 1997
    to: replace the annual registration and entry to market charges by imposing an annual charge payable by providers who are registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS); and impose a charge for applications by schools for initial registration and renewal of registration on CRICOS. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education and Youth 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Cost Recovery and Other Measures) Bill 2021 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, the bill amends the
    Education Services for Overseas Students (TPS Levies) Act 2012
    to include a definition of 'total enrolments' for the purposes of calculating the tuition protection service levies. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education and Youth 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, Education Services for Overseas Students (TPS Levies) Amendment Bill 2021 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, the bill amends the
    Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
    to: provide that education services for overseas students agencies have the power to conduct compliance audits of registered providers; provide for payment arrangements for the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students annual registration charge; and make consequential and contingent amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education and Youth 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2021, Education Services for Overseas Students (TPS Levies) Amendment Bill 2021 and Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Cost Recovery and Other Measures) Bill 2021, the bill amends the
    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Act 2021
    , when enacted, to remove references to the annual registration and entry to market charges. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Feb 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to: amend the student identifier requirements for a person's eligibility to receive Commonwealth assistance; provide for new Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt arrangements for rural, remote or very remote health practitioners; provide that units of study undertaken as part of an enabling course will not count towards a student's student learning entitlement; extend the FEE-HELP loan fee exemption to 31 December 2022; provide that domestic students undertaking a microcredential course are eligible for FEE-HELP; and provide that New Zealand citizens are eligible for HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP only if they are a resident in Australia for the duration of the unit; and
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    and
    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011
    to make technical amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Feb 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    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 (the Australia's Economic Accelerator (AEA) program) which progresses the development of technologies and services to a state of commercial investor readiness in sectors aligned with areas of national priority; establish a governance framework to support the delivery of the AEA program; and provide for the protection, disclosure and use of AEA program information. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Dec 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Australian Research Council Act 2001
    to: apply indexation to existing appropriation amounts for the financial years commencing on 1 July 2021, 1 July 2022 and 1 July 2023; and insert a new funding cap for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2024. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Dec 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to: list Avondale University as a Table B provider; amend the definition of a 'grandfathered student' to include students undertaking an honours course that is related to a course of study they commenced before 1 January 2021; enable the minister to make rules prescribing matters of a transitional nature; and allow for grants to be made that will support the translation and commercialisation of research by higher education providers. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
    and
    A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
    to: remove the annual child care subsidy (CCS) cap so that there will no longer be a limit on the amount of CCS that families, over a specified income, can receive each year; and increase the maximum subsidy rate of CCS for second and subsequent children, where a family has more than one child under 6 years of age. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 May 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Social Security Act 1991
    and
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to: create a single set of employment pathway plan requirement provisions, which will allow better use of technology, enabling job seekers more choice about how they enter into an employment pathway plan and meet the requirements of that plan; repeal certain redundant and outdated 'activity test' provisions; create a single set of criteria for exemptions from mutual obligation requirements; provide legislative authority for expenditure on employment programs; and repeal certain redundant provisions;
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    to make consequential amendments;
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to amend the targeted compliance framework to provide that sanctions need not be imposed when recipients of participation payments have a valid reason for failing to meet their requirements or immediately re-engage;
    Social Security Act 1991
    to: allow payments or benefits from Commonwealth and state and territory employment programs to not be considered income for social security law purposes; provide that the declaration of an approved program of work for income support payment is by legislative instrument; consolidate certain provisions in relation to activities that do not give rise to employment under certain industrial relations legislation; clarify that those receiving youth allowance as a job seeker continue to be treated as such when undertaking study as part of their requirements; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the
    Social Services Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform) Act 2018
    ; and
    Farm Household Support Act 2014
    ,
    Social Security Act 1991
    and
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to align the start day provisions for certain job seekers claiming jobseeker payment or youth allowance. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 May 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    to: extend the FEE-HELP loan fee exemption currently in place for units with a census date between 1 April and 30 June 2021 by a further six months, to 31 December 2021; and apply a 20 per cent FEE-HELP loan fee for units with a census date on or after 1 January 2022. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 May 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2021, the bill imposes a registered higher education provider charge to recover the costs of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency's monitoring and regulatory oversight activities. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 May 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Education, Skills and Employment 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Bill 2021, the bill amends the
    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011
    to enable the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency to collect and administer the registered higher education provider charge. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

What is a bill?

A bill is a proposal for a law or a change to an existing law. A bill becomes law (an Act) when agreed to in identical form by both houses of Parliament and assented to by the Governor-General.