David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Hansard source

I take the opportunity to thank members who have contributed to this debate, especially the member for Blair, who always makes a very sensible contribution to these matters.

The Statute Stocktake (Appropriations) Bill (No.1) 2012 is the fifth statute stocktake bill since 1998, forming part of an ongoing process to clean up the statute book by repealing redundant legislation. This bill also supports the government's deregulation agenda by reducing complexity. The bill repeals 93 redundant appropriation acts from 1984 to 1999, 35 redundant supply acts from 1984 to 1997 and three acts containing redundant special appropriations from the Treasury portfolio.

The bill also continues to implement the government's response to former Senator Andrew Murray's report of December 2008 entitled Operation sunlight: overhauling budgetary transparency by repealing three superannuation related provisions containing two redundant special appropriations from the finance portfolio. This bill repeals whole acts or special appropriations within acts that are redundant. It does not appropriate any money. In addition to the appropriation acts that will be repealed by this bill, the government is reviewing appropriation acts since the 1999-2000 financial year to determine whether more recent appropriation acts are also redundant and should be repealed. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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

Federation Chamber adjourned at 18:27

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