Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all members for contributing to the debate on these bills. This package of amendments contains two bills, the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 and the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019. The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee report, released on 27 February 2020, recommended the Senate pass the bills without delay. The 2014 Independent Review of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority recommended, amongst other things, that legal practitioners be removed from the regulatory scheme governing migration agents. The regulation of migration agents bill draws from this recommendation.

The bill removes legal practitioners with a restricted practising certificate from the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority scheme. Eligible legal practitioners with a restricted practising certificate will be able to register with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority during a 2-year period and can extend that for a total period of up to four years.