De-Anne Kelly (Dawson, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to thank members for their contributions to the debate on the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Amendment (Cosmetics) Bill 2007. As has been noted, the bill has two objectives. Firstly, the bill presents amendments that deliver on the government’s commitment to reforming the regulation of cosmetics, creating a long-term, sustainable and competitive advantage for the cosmetics industry while ensuring the continuing safeguard of health, safety and environmental standards.

While the ingredients in cosmetics have been regulated by NICNAS as industrial chemicals for quite some time, the bill represents an extension of the existing approach by enabling the minister to make standards for cosmetic products as a whole that are imported into or manufactured in Australia. This puts in place reforms agreed to by government in November 2005 that have been implemented on an administrative basis since early 2006. The approach adopted will deliver greater clarity and certainty for industry and capacity for NICNAS to take action in the event of non-compliance and ensuring the protection of public health, occupational health and safety and the environment.

The second objective achieved by the bill is the making of minor technical amendments to the act to provide clarity and consistency within the act. These proposed minor amendments will have no significant impact on business, do not place any restriction on competition and do not place any significant additional requirements on the industrial chemicals industry.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge the strong support of all stakeholders for the proposed amendments and their ongoing cooperation and assistance in the development of the bill. As a result of this collaborative approach adopted by government, industry and other stakeholders, I believe we have been able to achieve a very well considered and appropriate piece of amending legislation.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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