What to look out for this Parliamentary Sitting Week

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR – 21st – 24th NOVEMBER?

Both the Senate and the House will return on the 21st of November for the second last sitting week of 2022.?

Key issues list debated this week include revisions to trade legislation to implement Australia’s obligations under trade deals with India and the United Kingdom. There is also a focus towards climate action with bills relating to high-speed rail implementation, electric vehicles, and the depletion of the ozone layer being considered.??

A key feature of the week will be debate on the Albanese Government’s National Anti-Corruption Commission, with it scheduled for debate on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.???

House of Representatives?

Monday, 21 November?

On Monday, the House of Representatives will debate several customs and tariff amendments, with debate resuming at noon.?

• The Customs Amendment (India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) and Customs Tariff Amendment (India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) Bills implement Australia's obligations under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, including the introduction of rules of origin to determine if goods entering Australia from India are 'Indian originating goods'. They also provide a free rate of customs duties for Indian originating goods.?
• The House will also debate the Treasury Laws Amendment (Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 which gives legislative authority to exclude tax within Australian payments and credits make to Indian residents by Australian customers for technical services provided remotely. ?
• The House will then consider the Customs Amendment (Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 and Customs Tariff Amendment (Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 which slightly resembles that of the aforementioned customs amendment, however, will assess the Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Australia.?
• The ordinary annual services of the government and parliamentary departments will have money appropriated through the Appropriation (No. 1) 2022-2023, Appropriation (No. 2) 2022-2023, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) (No. 1) 2022-2023 Bills.?

Tuesday, 22 November?

The House resumes debate at noon on Tuesday, with debate on the National Anti-Corruption Commission dominating the day’s proceedings.?

• The Albanese Government’s National Anti-Corruption Commission and its associated National Anti-Corruption Commission (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill. These Bills will take up most of the House’s time on Tuesday and Wednesday and are even scheduled to be considered on Thursday. The Bills establish the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and report on serious or systemic corruption in the Commonwealth public sector, refer evidence of criminal corrupt conduct for prosecution and undertake education and prevention activities regarding corruption.?
• The House will also consider the Crimes Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bill 2022 for its second reading. The Bill increases the amount of the Commonwealth penalty unit from $222 to $275, with effect from 1 January 2023.?

Wednesday, 23 November?

The House of Representatives meets for the introduction of Bills and resumption of debate at 9:30am Wednesday morning. The House will continue debate on the National Anti-Corruption Commission and Crimes Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bills.?

Thursday, 24 November?

The House of Representatives meets for the introduction of Bills and resumption of debate at 9:30am Thursday morning. The House will continue debate on the National Anti-Corruption Commission and Crimes Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bills, before moving on to the following scheduled Bills.?

• The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Information Disclosure, National Interest and Other Measures) Bill? will be considered for its second reading. The Bill aims to improve the operation of information disclosure provisions under the Telecommunications Act 1997.The Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA), to change the definition of a ‘grandfathered student’ and introduce new provisions to partially or completely reduce outstanding HELP debts for eligible health practitioners working in rural, remote or very remote Australia.?
• Introduced together, the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform (Closing the Hole in the Ozone Layer), Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment, and Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bills amend the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Program (the Program) in order to reduce the burden on business, streamline and reduce the complexity of the Act, and ensure the Program can continue to achieve important environmental outcomes including contributing to Australia meeting its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement.?
• The Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment removes redundant provisions in the Australian Animal Health Council (Livestock Industries) Funding Act 1996 (AHA Act) and the Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002 (PHA Act), and introduces provisions that create efficiencies and facilitate future levy arrangements, and to increase consistency between the Acts regarding the spending of emergency response levies.?
• The Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Amendment (Strengthening Land and Governance Provisions) will be read a second time. The Bill makes changes to the governance structure and decision-making powers of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council. The Bill also exempts certain leases granted by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council from the application of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT), and removes the requirement for the council to enter into an agreement to lease with the Director of National Parks before land in the Booderee National Park can be declared as Aboriginal land.?
• The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Community Radio) will be read a second time, expanding the powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in the granting of community broadcasting licences. ?
• The Health Legislation Amendment (Medicare Compliance and Other Measures) Bill aims to protect the integrity of Medicare by expanding the remit of the Professional Services Review (PSR) and improving recovery arrangements for debts owed to the Commonwealth.?

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Senate?

Monday, 21 November?

• Monday commences with discussions surrounding the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022 which aims to provide low-income families with 90% childcare subsidy and additional financial assistance for medium-income families.?
• The Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Workforce Incentive) Bill 2022# amends the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to enable for pensioners to suspend their payments for up to two-years instead of only offering the option to cancel. ?
• The discussion will then move towards Emergency Response Fund Amendment (Disaster Ready Fund) Bill 2022# which will enable the government to draw upon up to $200 million per fiscal year to be debited from the Disaster Ready Fund for risk reduction and natural disaster resilience. ?
• The last bill to be discussed on Monday is the Biosecurity Amendment (Strengthening Biosecurity) Bill 2022. This act will enable the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to establish biosecurity measures for individuals entering the country in order to better protect Australia from diseases or pests.??

Tuesday, 22 November?

• Tuesday will commence with discussions surrounding the Customs Amendment (India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022. These bills primarily focus on Australia’s obligations under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, providing a free rate of customs duties for Indian originating goods. ?
• The Senate will then shift to consider the Customs Amendment (Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 and Customs Tariff Amendment (Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 which slightly resembles that of the aforementioned customs amendment, however, will assess the Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Australia.?
• The Treasury Laws Amendment (Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2022 also assesses the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, giving legislative authority to exclude tax within Australian payments and credits make to Indian residents by Australian customers for technical services provided remotely. ?
• The senate will them move discussions towards the Treasury Laws Amendment (2022 Measures No. 3) Bill 2022 which may double the maximum penalties for violating provisions exclusively in place for residential land. ?
• From there, the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Amendment Bill 2022 and Income Tax Amendment (Labour Mobility Program) Bill 2022 will be assessed. Here, talks will centre around the updated tax deductions on income earned by foreign resident workers participating in the Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme. ?
• The Treasury Laws Amendment (2022 Measures No. 2) Bill 2022 aims to require electronic platform operators to provide transaction information to the ATO, as well as a number of other revsisions to the Taxation Administration Act 1953. ?
• The last area of discussion on the Tuesday surrounds the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Incentivising Pensioners to Downsize) Bill 2022 which allows individuals to extend the assets test exemption on principal home sales intended for the purchase of a new principal home from 12 to 24 months.??

Wednesday, 23 November?

• Wednesday will open with the Treasury Laws Amendment (Electric Car Discount) Bill 2022 which amends the Fring Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to exempt electric or fuel-efficient vehicles below the luxury car threshold from the fringe benefits tax.?
• The discussions regarding climate and environment policy will then shift towards the? Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 which predominantly centres??
• The last bill to be discussed on Wednesday is the High Speed Rail Authority Bill 2022 which aims to establish the High-Speed Rail Authority as the statutory agency to advise stakeholders on the construction of the high-speed rail system soon to be developed in Australian states and territories. ?

Thursday, 24 November?

• Thursday will open with the Education Legislation Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022 which will reassess aspects of FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP.?
• The sitting week will conclude with discussions surrounding the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2022, the Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy Bill 2022 and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort Levy (Collection) Bill 2022. These bills aim to establish a financial accountability regime for directors and senior executives of financial entities in the superannuation, insurance and banking sectors.??