Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank those who have spoken for their contributions to this debate, particularly Senator Shoebridge. I'm sure his thoughts and praise for the department will carry over to Senate estimates in a couple of months as well. I expect to see that in full flight.

The government recognises the importance of maintaining the integrity of the Commonwealth statute book. The Statute Law Amendment (Prescribed Forms and Other Updates) Bill 2023 will amend 85 Commonwealth acts to enhance administration and promote consistency across the statute book. The bill will introduce a number of provisions that require the use of forms to be prescribed by regulations and replace them with other approaches that are best suited to the context of the particular form; update language relating to persons with disability to focus on the person rather than the disability, which I think is, as Senator Shoebridge and others have said, a significant and important reform; update references in Commonwealth acts to Northern Territory acts to make sure these references are consistent with the way the Northern Territory now cites its acts; correct technical errors that have occurred in acts as a result of drafting and clerical mistakes; and repeal spent and obsolete provisions of acts. These ongoing improvements to legislation are important to ensure that the Commonwealth statute book remains up to date, accurate and user friendly. I commend the bill.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.