Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I wondered why the member for Lyons was in the chamber. He is not due to speak on the next bill. I assumed he must be here to respond to the excellent speech from my colleague the member for Corangamite, but he only came into the chamber to heckle and shout.

I thank those members who took part in the debate: the member for Brisbane and the member for Corangamite, who gave an excellent contribution amidst great fanfare from the opposition, who get a great kick out of the member for Corangamite each time he speaks. He is an adornment to the parliament. There is no question about that.

I am here to sum up these bills on behalf of the Attorney-General, who is unfortunately delayed in cabinet and unable to be in the House. On his behalf, I am summing up the Customs Tariff Amendment (2007 Harmonized System Changes) Bill 2006 and, concurrently, the Customs Amendment (2007 Harmonized System Changes) Bill 2006. These amendments implement changes that result from the third review by the World Customs Organisation of the harmonised commodity description and coding system, which is commonly referred to as the harmonised system. As a signatory to the international convention on the harmonised system, Australia is required to implement the changes from 1 January next year. The third review of the harmonised system has deleted classifications for goods where there have been low levels of international trade. Amendments have also been made to clarify existing descriptions and terminology in the harmonised system and to reflect developments in technology and changes in industry practices.

This review also provides new classifications to separately identify a number of hazardous or dangerous chemicals, pesticides or waste products. This will facilitate the monitoring and control of international trade in these products under various United Nations conventions, including the Rotterdam convention. While giving effect to the changes to the harmonised system, the bill ensures to the greatest extent possible the preservation of existing duty rates and levels of tariff protection for Australian industries and margins of the preference accorded to Australia’s trading partners. The bill will provide certainty for Australia’s importers and exporters and ensure consistency with Australia’s international trading partners. I commend the bill to the House.

The second bill that we are debating concurrently is the Customs Amendment (2007 Harmonized System Changes) Bill 2006 and this contains amendments to the Customs Act 1901. This bill will enable the revocation of about 700 tariff concession orders that will be affected by the amendments to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 which are contained in the bill that I previously discussed. Up to 1,200 tariff concession orders will also need to be made to replace those that will be revoked. Tariff concession orders provide free rate of customs duty for imported goods when there are no substitutable domestically produced goods. This bill will ensure the seamless application of tariff concession orders to goods imported before and after 1 January 2007. I commend this bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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