Senate debates

Monday, 29 February 2016

Notices

Presentation

3:36 pm

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraph 5 to 8 of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings. Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016, Corporations Amendment (Life Insurance Remuneration Arrangements) Bill 2016, Migration Amendment (Character Cancellation Consquential Provisions) Bill 2016, Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2016 Measures No. 1) Bill 2016 and Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) Bill 2016.

I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILL 2016

Purpose of the Bill

The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill 2016 (the Bill) amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the Electoral Act) to improve the Senate voting system by giving electors control over their own voting preferences, require that there be unique registered officers for federally registered parties, and allow for political party logos to be printed on ballot papers.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage is necessary in the 2016 Autumn sitting period to enable the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to accommodate the amendments in this Bill, including changes to their electronic counting software, EasyCount. The AEC has advised the Government it will require up to three months incorporating these changes. The AEC will also be required to develop material for the purposes of educating the public about the changes well in advance of the 2016 election.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

AGED CARE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (INCREASING CONSUMER CHOICE) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The bill will give effect to the first stage of the aged care reforms announced by the Government in the 2015 16 Budget, to provide more choice and flexibility for consumers receiving home care.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of the bill in the 2016 Autumn sittings will allow the legislative framework, including the required amendments to the Aged Care Principles, to be in place by mid-2016. This is necessary to provide certainty to businesses and allow sufficient time for communication, change management and transition activities with the aged care sector, including consumers and carers, prior to the changes commencing in February 2017.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

CORPORATIONS AMENDMENT (LIFE INSURANCE REMUNERATION ARRANGEMENTS) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The bill seeks to make amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 to support reforms to the regulatory framework for life insurance as proposed by industry and announced by the Assistant Treasurer on 25 June 2015.

These reforms would facilitate industry's proposed solutions to conflicts of interest identified in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Report 413: Review of retail life insurance advice.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage is necessary in the 2016 Autumn sittings to ensure that the life insurance advice industry's proposed steps to reduce conflicts of interest in relation to life insurance remuneration can be operational by 1 July 2016.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

MIGRATION AMENDMENT (CHARACTER AND CANCELLATION CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to improve coherency and consistency in the character related provisions of the Migration Act 1958 (the Migration Act), following the amendments made by the Migration Amendment (Character and General Visa Cancellation) Act 2014 (the Character Act).

Reasons for Urgency

The measures in the bill are necessary to ensure that the substantive amendments to the Migration Act made in 2014 by the Character Act are given their full effect and that the character provisions operate consistently throughout the Migration Act.

The measures in the bill reflect the Government's clear and continuing commitment to ensuring that non citizens who pose a character risk to the Australian community are dealt with effectively and efficiently.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

TAX AND SUPERANNUATION LAWS AMENDMENT (2016 MEASURES NO. 1) BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2016 Measures No. 1) Bill is to:

      - transferring liability to GST registered entities carrying on an enterprise in Australia; and

      - changes to GST-free rules and registration requirements for non-residents.

        - increase the cap on farm management deposits from $400,000 to $800,000;

        - reintroduce early access provisions for farmers experiencing severe financial difficulty; and

        - allow the use of farm management deposits to offset business loans.

        Reasons for Urgency

        Introduction and passage of the bill during the 2016 Autumn sittings is required to give taxpayers and the Australian Taxation Office sufficient time to put in place systems and processes to allow for the efficient administration of the tax system and a smooth roll-out of Tax Time 2016.

        STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2016 AUTUMN SITTINGS

        TAX LAWS AMENDMENT (NORFOLK ISLAND CGT EXEMPTION) BILL

        Purpose of the Bill

        This bill will exempt assets acquired by Norfolk Island residents before 24 October 2015 from capital gains tax.

        Reasons for Urgency

        As this measure is to commence on 1 July 2016, introduction and passage of the bill during the 2016 Autumn sittings is required to provide certainty to Norfolk Island residents and in relation to their need to make a valuation of CGT assets as at 1 July 2016.

        Photo of Claire MooreClaire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | | Hansard source

        On the motion that was moved, I am just double checking that had nothing to do with proceeding without formalities?

        Photo of Gavin MarshallGavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | | Hansard source

        The minister has not moved anything. He has simply given notice that he will move something on the next day of sitting. All he has done has sought leave to incorporate the statement of reasons into Hansard.