Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The purpose of this bill is to provide for transitional arrangements relating to the proposed establishment of the Australian Astronomical Observatory within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

This is the companion to the Australian Astronomical Observatory Bill.

Together, these bills provide for disbanding the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, which operates the Anglo-Australian Observatory, and for the observatory to be re-established within the department of innovation as the Australian Astronomical Observatory, to take effect from the transition date of 1 July 2010.

Schedule 1 of this bill repeals the Anglo-Australian Telescope Agreement Act 1970, which established the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board as a binational authority to operate the Anglo-Australian Observatory, funded jointly by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom. One effect of this provision is to dissolve the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board.

Schedule 2 to the bill contains the transitional provisions for establishing the Australian Astronomical Observatory as a unit within the department of innovation. These include provisions for the transfer of assets, liabilities, legal arrangements and other matters from the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board to the Commonwealth.

The observatory’s employees are to be transferred into the department of innovation under the provisions of the Public Service Act 1999. The bill provides for the transfer of their terms and conditions of employment and the maintenance of their accrued entitlements.

Schedule 2 also provides for the preservation of existing powers and obligations of the Auditor-General to audit the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board’s financial records after the dissolution of the board. There are also provisions relating to the furnishing and tabling in the parliament of the final annual report and financial statements of the board after the transition date.

This bill will facilitate the smooth transfer to the department of the employees, assets and other matters of the board so that the observatory can continue its important work without interruption, while maintaining transparency, accountability and continuity of corporate and Commonwealth responsibilities.

Further details of the bill are contained in the explanatory memorandum.

Debate (on motion by Mrs Mirabella) adjourned.