Legislation Proposed for Introduction in the 2019 Winter/Spring Sittings

Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) Bill *

• criminalise the use of a carriage service with the intention of inciting another person to trespass or commit other property offences on agricultural land

Reasons for legislation: to fulfil the 2019 election commitment to introduce a new offence to protect farmers and primary producers from those that incite criminal trespass or the commission of other property offences on agricultural land

Link to announcement: Joint Media Release of 10 April 2019

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions)

• establish the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, which will bring together the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019 election commitment
Link to announcement: Media release of 26 May 2019

Native Title Legislation Amendment Bill

• implement the Government’s response to recommendations for reform of the native title system sourced from the COAG Investigation into Indigenous Land Use and Administration, the ALRC’s ‘Connection to Country: Review of the Native Title Act 1993’ Report, and related Government investigations
• provide certainty to important native title agreements, particularly in the context of mineral and resources projects

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation
Link to announcement: Media release of 29 October 2018

Religious Discrimination Bill
Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill
Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Freedom of Religion) Bill

• make it unlawful to discriminate against people on the ground of their religious belief or activity (including lack of religious belief) and establish the statutory office of the Freedom of Religion Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission
• amend existing Commonwealth legislation relating to freedom of religion, including amendments to marriage law, charities law and objects clauses in existing anti‑discrimination legislation

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019 election commitment
Link to announcement: Media release of 26 May 2019; Media release of 30 May 2019 and Media release of 13 December 2018

Telecommunication Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer) Bill *
Telecommunications (Regional Broadband Scheme) Charge Bill *

• strengthen requirements for owners of high-speed broadband networks to operate on a structurally separated basis, while empowering the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to authorise functional separation; establish a mechanism for funding regional broadband services; establish statutory infrastructure provider obligations on NBN Co and other providers of superfast carriage services; and make other associated amendments
• establish sustainable and competitively neutral funding arrangements for broadband services provided predominantly in regional Australia

Reason for legislation: to provide consumers, particularly those in regional Australia, with greater certainty about long term access to modern broadband services, and create new competitive opportunities for network providers
Link to announcement: Media release of 22 June 2017

Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Fair and Balanced) Bill

• amend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to provide for fairness and balance in its news and information reporting

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation
Link to announcement: Media release of 18 October 2017

Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Measures) Bill

• amend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 to ensure regional and rural communities are provided for in the functions of the Corporation and through representation on the ABC Board

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation
Link to announcement: Media release of 18 October 2017

Australian Postal Corporation Amendment Bill

• amend the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989 to enhance and streamline security arrangements for screening and processing international mail

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation to protect the integrity and security of our international mail gateways

Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Bill

• repeal and amend legislative provisions to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden on the broadcasting and telecommunications industries

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

National Broadcasters Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Transparency) Bill

• amend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 and Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to ensure transparency of employees’ salaries (including on-air talent) of equal to, or in excess of, $200,000 per annum

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation
Link to announcement: Media release of 16 October 2017

Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Bill
Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage (Consequential and Transitional Arrangements) Bill

• repeal and remake the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986
• strengthen the regulatory framework for the protection of significant Australian and foreign cultural property
• ensure a more efficient and flexible process of assessing export permit applications for significant Australian cultural property

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation
Link to announcement: Media release of 3 February 2016

Public and Educational Lending Right Bill

• harmonise and modernise the administration of the Public and Educational Lending Right (PLR and ELR) schemes to better adapt to modern and future practices including: the creation of a legislative basis and the provision for subordinate legislation to administer the ELR program; and the streamlining of governance arrangements in relation to the PLR Committee

Reason for legislation: to modernise the operation of existing legislation

Radiocommunications Amendment Bill
Radiocommunications (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill

• amend the Radiocommunications Act 1992 to provide for an efficient and flexible spectrum management framework, provide for transparent and timely allocation processes, streamline equipment regulation and provide graduated and proportionate enforcement mechanisms for breaches of the legislative framework

Reason for legislation: to improve the regulatory framework by amending existing legislation

Higher Education Support Charges Bill *
Higher Education Support Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill *

• recover the administration costs of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) by introducing an annual charge on HELP providers, and setting an application fee on prospective FEE-HELP provider applicants

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018–19 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Budget Paper No. 2 2018-19, page 10

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Charges) Bill *
Tertiary Education Quality and Standard Agency Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill *

• establish a new annual levy for registered higher education providers to recover the costs of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s sector-wide risk monitoring and oversight activities

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018–19 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Budget Paper No. 2 2018-19, page 95 and MYEFO 2018-19, page 114

Australian National University Bill
Australian National University (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill

• give effect to recommendations of the Review of the ANU Act 1991 and the governance arrangements of the ANU (the Walker Review) that will renew the ANU’s legislative framework to ensure that its governance arrangements are fit for purpose, provide a level of flexibility for the ANU to manage its operations in the evolving higher education policy environment, and maintain and enhance the ANU’s status as a leading university into the future

Reason for legislation: to give effect to recommendations contained in the Review of the Australian National University (ANU) Act 1991 and the governance arrangements of the ANU
Link to announcement: Media release of 24 June 2015

Student Identifiers Amendment Bill

• enable the Student Identifiers Registrar to assign a Unique Student Identifier (USI) to all higher education students and enable certain higher education bodies to apply for a USI on behalf of a student and to access, use and disclose a USI for particular purposes

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019-20 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Budget Paper No.2 2019-20, page 69

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment Bill

• give effect to the Review of the impact of the TEQSA Act on the higher education sector

Reason for legislation: to give effect to the Review

Link to announcement: Review of the impact of the TEQSA Act on the higher education sector

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (Prohibiting Academic Cheating Services) Bill

• create an offence and civil penalty for any person who provides or advertises organised cheating services targeting higher education courses or students

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018–19 Budget decision
Link to announcement: Budget Paper No. 2 2018-19, page 95

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Legislation Amendment Bill

• implement recommendations of the review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Program to strengthen emission reduction provisions, improve administrative efficiency, bolster compliance and enforcement capability and align existing powers with the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014

Reason for legislation: to implement recommendations of the review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Program
Link to announcement: Government Statement - Improvements to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Programme to achieve emissions reductions and streamline its operation

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020 *
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2019-2020 *
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020 *

• propose appropriations for expenditure on: the ordinary annual services of the Government; other than the ordinary annual services of the Government (for matters such as capital works and services, payments to States, Territories and Local Government Authorities, and equity injections); and the services of the Parliamentary Departments

Reason for legislation: to provide legislative authority for appropriations to fund expenditure to be incurred in the 2019-2020 financial year

Emergency Response Fund Bill *
Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill *

• establish the Emergency Response Fund and make consequential amendments to a range of legislation as a result of the Emergency Response Fund

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019-20 Budget decision
Link to announcement: Budget Paper No. 2 2019-20

Future Drought Fund Bill *
Future Drought Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill *

• establish the Future Drought Fund and make consequential amendments to a range of legislation as a result of the Future Drought Fund Bill

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 MYEFO decision
Link to announcement: 2018-2019 MYEFO (Appendix A - pages 177-178)

Australian Passports Amendment (Identity-matching Services) Bill *

• provide a legal basis for ensuring the Minister is able to make Australian travel document data available for the purposes of, and by the automated means intrinsic to, the identity matching services to which the Commonwealth and the states and territories agreed on 5 October 2017

Reason for legislation: to meet the Commonwealth’s commitment to states and territories under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Identity Matching Services of 5 October 2017

Official Development Assistance Multilateral Replenishment Obligations Bill

• provide funds to existing and future Official Development Assistance Multilateral Replenishment Obligations

Reason for legislation: to fund existing and future Official Development Assistance Multilateral Replenishment Obligations

Aged Care Amendment (Movement of Provisionally Allocated Places) Bill *

• amend the Aged Care Act 1997 to allow the movement of provisionally allocated aged care places from one determined region to another

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Health Insurance Amendment (Bonded Medical Programs Reform) Bill *

• amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to implement reforms to the Bonded Programs as part of the Stronger Rural Health Strategy measure announced in the 2018-19 Budget

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 9 May 2018

Medical and Midwife Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill *

• streamline and improve medical indemnity legislation, provide an opportunity to assess the operation of existing arrangements and ensure that all insurers accessing the medical indemnity schemes are subject to the same requirements

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 MYEFO decision

National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill *

• amend the National Health Act 1953 to support the sustainability and operation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 Budget decision
Link to announcement: 2018-19 Budget Paper No. 2

National Health Amendment (Safety Net Threshold) Bill *

• make changes to reduce the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net threshold

Reason for legislation: to implement an election commitment
Link to announcement: Strengthening Australia's World-Class Health System

National Sports Tribunal Bill *
National Sports Tribunal (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill *

• establish a National Sports Tribunal to ensure the Australian sporting community has access to cost effective, transparent, timely and independent dispute resolution

Reason for legislation: to implement a MYEFO decision and an election commitment
Link to announcement: Government response to the Wood Review

Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Amendment Bill
Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment Bill

• introduce a compulsory retrospective levy on residential care providers where provider defaults exceed $3 million in any one year

Reason for legislation: to implement a Budget decision
Link to announcement: Media release of 8 May 2018

Australian Citizenship Amendment (Strengthening the Citizenship Loss Provisions) Bill *

• amend the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, in relation to persons convicted of certain offences, to:

  • adjust the threshold for determining dual citizenship from the current requirement that the person is a national or citizen of a country other than Australia at the time when the Minister makes the determination that a person ceases to be an Australian citizen to a requirement that the Minister is satisfied the person will not become a person who is not a national or citizen of any country; and
  • strengthen the Minister’s ability to determine that a person ceases to be an Australian citizen if they are convicted of a terrorism offence, regardless of the sentence imposed

Reason for legislation: to strengthen the citizenship loss provisions in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to keep ahead of evolving terrorist threats, protect the Australian community, and protect the integrity of Australia’s citizenship framework

Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill *

• establish a Temporary Exclusion Order scheme to:

  • provide a single, explicit source of legislative power for the Government to control the return of an Australian citizen of counter-terrorism interest to Australia; and
  • provide a streamlined mechanism to impose conditions to facilitate the monitoring of the person once they have returned to Australia

Reason for legislation: to ensure law enforcement agencies are equipped to manage Australian citizens returning to Australia who are of counter-terrorism interest
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 February 2019  

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Police Powers at Airports) Bill *

• amend the Crimes Act 1914 to allow constables and Australian Federal Police protective service officers to, in appropriate circumstances, issue identity check, move-on and ancillary directions at major airports

Reason for legislation: to provide police with consistent and appropriate powers to address criminal and security threats at major Australian airports

Identity-Matching Services Bill *

• authorise the Department of Home Affairs to collect, use and disclose identification information to provide identity matching services that employ facial biometric matching, when used for the purposes of fraud prevention, law enforcement, national security and related purposes

Reason for legislation: to implement the Australian Government’s legislative obligations under the 2017 Inter-governmental Agreement on Identity Matching Services

Migration Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill *

• prevent any unauthorised maritime arrival taken to a regional processing country after 19 July 2013 from ever being eligible to apply for an Australian visa

Reason for legislation: to ensure that any person who arrived as an unauthorised maritime arrival will not be able to settle in Australia

Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill *

• repeal the amendments made to the Migration Act 1958 by Schedule 6 to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2019
• extend existing return and removal mechanisms to transitory persons brought to Australia from a regional processing country under section 198C of the Migration Act 1958

Reason for legislation: to ensure that the Australian Government is able to determine who enters Australia, and to maintain the policy objectives under Operation Sovereign Borders
Link to announcement: Protect Our Borders to Keep Australians Safe

Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill *

• create an additional discretionary, objective ground for visa refusal or cancellation under the character framework in section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 where a person has been convicted of a serious violent crime, regardless of the length of sentence that has been imposed

Reason for legislation: to strengthen the character test in the Migration Act to ensure that any person who is of character concern can be appropriately considered for visa refusal or cancellation

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing and Other Legislation Amendment Bill

• implement recommendations from the 2016 statutory review of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006. This includes a range of measures to strengthen Australia’s capabilities to address the risks of money laundering, terrorism financing and other serious crimes, as well as generate regulatory efficiencies for industry
• amend the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 to criminalise conduct where a person falsely represents himself or herself as a person upon whom a police medal or other decoration that can be awarded for police service has been conferred

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Australian Crime Commission Amendment Bill

• implement recommendations for amendments to the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 made by Mr Phillip Moss as part of his 2015 review of the Act. This includes streamlining certain provisions, inserting a revised information disclosure regime and consolidating and clarifying certain powers and obligations of Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) officers to better enable the ACIC to perform its statutory functions

Reason for legislation: to implement recommendations of the 2015 Moss Review

Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill

• establish a scheme whereby the Commonwealth, through a department or other agency, can seek workplace protection orders as one of the options available to it in dealing with acts of aggression against staff and other customers

Reason for legislation: to help address conduct interfering with the Government providing benefits or services, or affecting the work health or safety of staff or people accessing those services

Migration Amendment (Clarification of Jurisdiction) Bill

• amend the Migration Act 1958 and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 to clarify the allocation of jurisdiction between the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court in relation to migration decisions

Reason for legislation: to clarify the allocation of jurisdiction between the Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court (in keeping with the original legislative intention) in respect of migration decisions

Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection and Other Measures) Bill

• amend the Migration Act 1958 to align, where possible, the complementary protection framework with the refugee framework in the Act and deliver a more efficient and effective onshore protection regime

Reason for legislation: to enhance the efficiency and integrity of Australia’s onshore protection programme
Link to announcement: Media release of 25 March 2015

Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Repeal Bill

• repeal the amendments made by the Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Act 2013

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill
Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 

• remove lawyers from the regulatory scheme governing migration agents, and make other amendments to improve the effectiveness of the scheme that regulates migration agents
• ensure that a person who paid the non-commercial registration application charge in relation to their current period of registration, but gives immigration assistance otherwise than on a non-commercial basis, is liable to pay an adjusted fee

Reason for legislation: to give effect to recommendations from the 2014 Independent Review of the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority

Migration Amendment (Streamlining Visa Processing) Bill

• enable the Minister to specify groups of visa applicants who must provide one or more specified personal identifiers in order to make a valid visa application. If a person refuses to provide their personal identifiers, they cannot make a valid visa application and cannot be considered for grant of the visa

Reason for legislation: streamlines the visa application process by requiring the provision of a biometric at the time of application lodgement, rather than after a written request

Migration (Validation of Appointment) Bill 

• provide that things done under the Migration Act 1958 which relied directly or indirectly on the validity of the appointment of a proclaimed port in the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, are valid and effective

Reason for legislation: to ensure that the appointment of a proclaimed port in the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands always had the legal effect it was intended to have had

Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Assistance and Access Amendments Review) Bill

• change the date by which the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security must review the amendments made by the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 from April to June 2020

Reason for legislation: to implement a recommendation of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security that the Committee’s review be conducted by June 2020

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill *

• clarify and improve the operation of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act)
• transfer regulatory responsibility for offshore greenhouse gas wells and environmental management from the responsible Minister to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA)
• strengthen and clarify the powers of NOPSEMA inspectors to monitor and enforce compliance by regulated entities with their obligations under the OPGGS Act and associated regulations
• ensure valid designation of certain areas as ‘frontier areas’ for the purposes of the Designated Frontier Area tax incentive
• future-proof references to regulations made under the OPGGS Act in provisions of that Act. The amendments will avoid the need to amend the OPGGS Act any time regulations under the OPGGS Act are remade
• make minor policy and technical amendments to improve the operation of the OPGGS Act

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment Bill *

• clarify and improve the operation of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Act 2003 (Levies Act)
• impose a well investigation levy, an annual well levy and a well activity levy in relation to greenhouse gas wells
• revise provisions which impose a well activity levy, as a consequence of amendments to Part 5 (Wells) of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2011
• revise provisions which impose a safety investigation levy and well investigation levy as a consequence of previous amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the OPGGS Act)
• future-proof references to regulations made under the OPGGS Act or Levies Act in provisions of the Levies Act. The amendments will avoid the need to amend the Levies Act any time regulations under the OPGGS Act or the Levies Act are remade
• remove certain spent provisions

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty Consequential Amendments Bill *
Passenger Movement Charge Amendment (Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty) Bill *

• give effect to the Maritime Boundary Treaty agreed between Australia and Timor-Leste

Reason for legislation: to implement the Government’s commitment to bring into force the Maritime Boundary Treaty signed by Australia and Timor-Leste
Link to announcement: Media release of 28 November 2018

Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 2 and Other Measures) Bill

• implement some aspects of the Australian Government’s response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s intellectual property arrangements
• make a number of technical amendments and improvements to the intellectual property system

Reason for legislation: to implement the Government’s response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s intellectual property arrangements
Link to announcement: Media release of 25 August 2017

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Incident Inspection Powers and Other Measures) Bill

• strengthen and clarify the monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers exercisable by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority within State/NT jurisdiction during a significant incident
• allow effective title administration and regulation of a greenhouse gas formation straddling a State/NT coastal waters boundary
• clarify and improve the operation of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

Reason for legislation: to update and improve the operation of existing legislation

Civil Aviation Amendment Bill

• ensure that, in developing and promulgating aviation safety standards, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) considers the economic impact of the standards and takes into account the differing risks associated with different industry sectors

Reason for legislation: to provide assurance to industry that CASA considers economic impacts and sector risk levels when developing aviation safety standards
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 February 2019

Territories Legislation Amendment Bill

• extend selected Commonwealth legislation to Norfolk Island and the other external territories

Reason for legislation: to bring service delivery and regulatory frameworks in the external territories into line with the rest of Australia

Royal Commissions Amendment (Private Sessions) Bill *

• amend the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (the Act) to enable private sessions in Part 4 of the Act to be applied to other Royal Commissions by regulation, including the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

Reason for legislation: to make provisions for Royal Commissions to engage private sessions

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extend Family Assistance to ABSTUDY secondary school boarding students aged 16 and over) Bill *

• amend family assistance legislation to extend family assistance to families of ABSTUDY student recipients who are aged 16 years and over and study away from home

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019-20 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 4 April 2019

Interactive Gambling Amendment (National Self-Exclusion Register) Bill *

• provide for a legislative framework for a

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 MYEFO measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 30 November 2018

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Streamlined Governance) Bill *

• amend the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 to streamline governance arrangements in accordance with National Disability Insurance Scheme full scheme intergovernmental agreements

Reason for legislation: to provide streamlined governance arrangements to support the National Disability Insurance Scheme

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Worker Screening Database) Bill *

• amend the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 to establish a database for nationally consistent worker screening, for the purpose of minimising the risk of harm to people with disability from those who work closely with them

Reason for legislation: to provide for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission to establish and maintain the national clearance database
Link to announcement: Media release of 13 February 2019

Paid Parental Leave Amendment Bill *

• amend paid parental leave legislation to extend access to Paid Parental Leave through changes to the work test and to allow flexibility in the way Parental Leave Pay is received

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 MYEFO measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 20 November 2018

Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Income Management to Cashless Debit Card Transition) Bill *

• amend social security law to enable the transition of participants under certain Income Management measures in the Northern Territory and Cape York to the Cashless Debit Card from 1 January 2020

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019-20 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release 25 March 2019

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Better Targeting Student Payments) Bill *

• amend social security and student assistance law to align payment rates of the Pensioner Education Supplement and the Education Entry Payment and restricts access to the relocation scholarship for Youth Allowance recipients to students whose family home or usual residence is in Australia

Reason for legislation: to implement 2017-18 Budget measures
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 June 2017

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Overseas Welfare Recipients Integrity Program) Bill *

• amend social security law to require welfare recipients aged 80 years and over who permanently reside overseas to provide proof of life certificates every two years to continue to receive their payment

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 MYEFO measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 13 December 2018

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Payment Integrity) Bill *

• amend the social security law to increase the residence requirements for Australian pensions; stop the payment of Pension Supplement after six weeks of a temporary overseas absence and immediately for permanent departures; and increase the maximum Liquid Assets Waiting Period from 13 to 26 weeks

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2016-17 MYEFO measure and 2017-18 Budget measures
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 June 2017 and Media release of 9 May 2017

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Transition Mobility Allowance to the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Bill *

• amend social security law to ensure continuity of support is provided to current recipients of Mobility Allowance who may not be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2016-17 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 March 2019

National Rental Affordability Scheme Amendment Bill

• amend the National Rental Affordability Scheme Act 2008 to clarify and correct ambiguous provisions and broaden and enhance the regulation making powers

Reason for legislation: to make technical amendments to provide further flexibility in the administration of National Rental Affordability Scheme

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Automated Income Reporting) Bill

• amend social security and veterans’ entitlement law to change the assessment model for social security employment income reporting purposes from ‘earned’ to ‘received’

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019-20 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 2 April 2019

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Automatic Rent Deduction Scheme) Bill

• amend social security and family assistance law to enable tenancy charges and other housing costs to be deducted from income support payments and Family Tax Benefit for occupants living in social housing

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2016-17 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 19 October 2016

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing Trial) Bill

• amend social security law to establish a two year trial of drug testing in three locations for new recipients of Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other). The trial will test the effectiveness of decreasing substance abuse through random drug testing and compulsory treatment, in an effort to improve employment outcomes for trial participants

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2017-18 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 11 May 2017

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Encouraging Lawful Behaviour of Income Support Recipients) Bill

• amend social services portfolio legislation to

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2018-19 Budget measure
Link to announcement: Media release of 8 May 2018

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Bill

• make a variety of technical amendments social services portfolio legislation

Reason for legislation: to clarify and correct ambiguous provisions and ensure legislative arrangements align with service delivery

Currency (Restrictions on the Use of Cash) Bill *

• introduce criminal offences for transacting in cash in excess of $10,000

Reason for legislation: to implement a Budget/MYEFO decision
Link to announcement: Media release of 25 May 2018

National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Amendment Bill *

• establish a First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to assist eligible first home buyers with a minimum 5 per cent deposit (rather than the industry standard of 20 per cent) to purchase a home

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019 election commitment
Link to announcement: Election commitment of 12 May 2019

Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill *

• enact a right for consumers to access their banking (and other designated sectors) data in a form that facilitates its transfer and use and to instruct their banking (and other designated sectors) provider to share their data with nominated third parties

Reason for legislation: to implement a Budget/MYEFO decision
Link to announcement: Media release of 9 May 2017

Treasury Laws Amendment (Ending Grandfathered Conflicted Remuneration) Bill *

• turn off the grandfathering provisions that allow financial advisers to receive conflicted remuneration under legacy remuneration arrangements and require entities that previously paid grandfathered conflicted remuneration to financial advisers to redirect the payment to consumers

Reason for legislation: to implement a Budget/MYEFO decision
Link to announcement: Restoring trust in Australia’s financial system of February 2019

Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Multinationals Pay their Fair Share of Tax in Australia and Other Measures) Bill *

• level the playing field for online hotel bookings
• remove luxury car tax on re-imported cars following refurbishment overseas
• require certain thin capitalisation calculations to use asset values contained in taxpayers’ financial statements, and a technical fix to ensure certain inbound multinationals do not have inappropriate access to thin capitalisation tests designed for outward investors

Reason for legislation: to implement a Budget/MYEFO decision
Link to announcement: Media release of 21 September 2018

Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More Of Their Money) Bill *

• provide personal tax relief to taxpayers that lodge their tax returns for the 2018-19 income year from 1 July 2019

Reason for legislation: to implement a 2019 election commitment
Link to announcement: 2019-2020 Budget

Australian Veterans’ Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill *

• create a new Act to provide a framework for the Government, business and the people of Australia, to recognise and acknowledge the unique nature of military service and support veterans and their families in their local community post military service
• ensure that legislation affecting veterans is interpreted and applied beneficially to them

Reason for legislation: to create a new framework to recognise and acknowledge the unique nature of military service
Link to announcement: Media release of 20 February 2019

Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill *

• amend the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to extend eligibility to those submariners who were deployed as part of a Submarine Special Operations service during specified periods to have their service recognised as qualifying and/or operational and/or non-warlike

Reason for legislation: to implement 2019 election and Budget commitments