[Aqualist] Information on current Commonwealth legislation

[Simon Haberle]

Dear Colleagues

Please find below brief report on current Commonwealth legislation.

Regards
Bradley Smith
Executive Director
FASTS
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Commonwealth Legislation
There is no major legislation affecting science, R&D and research policy 
currently before the Parliament.
It is expected the Government will announce BAA2 on budget night. Apart 
from some additional appropriations (which are never blocked by ALP and 
Democrats in the Senate) it is unlikely BAA2 will generate much legislation 
(most decisions, such as anticipated changes to the Research Training 
Scheme (RTS) are likely to be administrative, not legislative).

The following Bills may be of interest to some Member Societies

Education, Science and Training Portfolio
Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front 
Student Union Fees) Bill 2003
Seeks to abolish compulsory student association fees. Will almost certainly 
fail in the Senate. If it were passed it would seriously damage the 
resource base of CAPA (a FASTS affiliate member) and other student 
organisations, notably postgraduate associations, who do provide a range of 
services, representation and advocacy to students including science, 
mathematics and technology students.
Bill status: Introduced into House. Not debated in either chamber.

Environment and Heritage Portfolio
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2002
Proposed raft of essentially administrative changes to Mandatory Renewable 
Energy Target (MRET) scheme. The Bill was defeated in the Senate becoming, 
in effect, a proxy for debate over the MRET rather than the Bill's 
provisions per se. Government unlikely to bring the Bill back in its 
current form (they attempting to deal with some of the provisions 
administratively rather than legislatively).
In the interim, there has been a Government review of the MRET (The 
Tambling Report) which was released on 16 January 2004. The report is 
available at www.mretreview.gov.au
Bill status: Passed in House. Blocked in Senate. Can be reintroduced.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment Bill 2004
Clarifies that GST is not payable on the Environmental Management Charge 
levied on standard tourism.
Bill status: passed 9 March 2004.

Industry, Tourism and Resources Portfolio
Industry Research And Development Amendment Bill 2003
This Bill removes the existing powers of the Industry Research and 
Development Board (IR&DB), to commit, approve or recommend the expenditure 
of Government funds for R&D.
These funding functions are currently undertaken by the Department not 
IR&DB, so the effect of the Bill is to bring the IR&D Act (1986) into 
conformity with actual practice.
This Bill makes no changes to the duties and powers of the IR&DB on R&D tax 
concessions and clarifies the role of the IR&DB on assessments of proposals 
for R&D or innovation funding, and evaluating the progress of projects 
approved for funding.
The activities of the IR&DB are of considerable interest to FASTS. However, 
this legislation is not controversial as it confirms status quo rather than 
changing its role.
Bill status: Passed: 4 March 2004.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Portfolio
Agricultural and veterinary chemicals (administration) amendment Bill 2004.
Designed to bring Australia's regime for management of chemicals into line 
with the Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions (the Government announced last 
August that it intended to ratify these two conventions).
Further information: http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/browse.aspx?NodeID=40
Bill status: Passed: 4 March 2004.
Dairy Produce Amendment Bill 2003
This Bill tidies administrative arrangements, clarifies indemnity and 
liability issues and liberalises financial constraints on Dairy Australia 
Ltd (which superceded the Australian Dairy Corporation and the Dairy 
Research and Development Corporation).
Bill status: Introduced into House. Not debated in either chamber
Fisheries Legislation Amendment (Compliance And Deterrence Measures And 
Other Matters) Bill 2003
The Bill seeks to;
·       put in place more effective deterrence and compliance regimes to 
help deter foreign fishers from illegally fishing in Australian waters;
·       improve the operating efficiency and effectiveness of Australian 
Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) in its management of Commonwealth 
fisheries resources;
·       and promote ecologically sustainable practices in 
Commonwealth-managed fisheries.
Bill status: Passed Senate, to be debated in House.

Health and Ageing Portfolio
Industrial Chemicals (Notification And Assessment) Amendment (Rotterdam 
Convention) Bill 2004
Gives effect to Australia's obligations under the Rotterdam Convention on 
the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and 
Pesticides in International Trade. It establishes a system of notification 
and assessment of industrial chemicals to protect health, safety and the 
environment and extends the present notification, information exchange and 
information gathering powers.
It will have some financial and process impact on exporters of industrial 
chemicals.
Bill status: Passed 4 March 2004

Treasury Portfolio
Energy Grants (Cleaner Fuels) Scheme Bill 2003
Energy Grants (Cleaner Fuels) Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2003
The Energy Grants (Cleaner Fuels) Scheme provides a generic framework for 
the payment of grants for the importation and manufacture of cleaner fuels 
in accordance with the Government's 2003-2004 Federal Budget announcement 
concerning fuel tax reform and cleaner fuel measures.
The EG(CF)S will initially allow for the payment of a grant for the 
importation and domestic production of final fuels containing biodiesel. 
The grant will offset the excise and customs duty payable on biodiesel and 
continue the current effective excise rate of zero for 100% biodiesel until 
30 June 2008. The grant will also be payable on fuel blends containing 
biodiesel, extending an effective excise rate of zero to the biodiesel 
component of fuel blends.
The Bill also provides grants to offset excise and customs duty on the 
manufacture and importation of ethanol when the existing subsidy 
arrangement finishes on 30 June 2008.
The legislation is controversial within the Coalition - the Nationals 
unhappy with elements relating to ethanol and, thus, effects on sugar 
industry.
Bill status: Passed in House, introduced into Senate but Govt yet to bring 
on debate due to internal disputes.

Current Senate Legislation Inquiries
·       ·       Revised Draft Import Risk Analysis for Bananas
·       ·       Revised Draft Import Risk Analysis on Apples
·       ·       Draft and Final Import Risk Analysis for Pig Meat
·       ·       Import risk assessment on New Zealand apples

Further information: 
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/rrat_ctte/index.htm

Current Senate References Inquiries
Australian Plantation Forestry
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee
Terms of reference include;
·       whether there are impediments to the achievement of the aims of 
'Plantations for Australia: The 2020 Vision' strategy;
·       whether there are further opportunities to maximise the benefits 
from plantations in respect of their potential to contribute environmental 
benefits, including whether there are opportunities to:
·       better integrate plantations into achieving salinity and water 
quality objectives and targets,
·       optimise the environmental benefits of plantations in low rainfall 
areas
Report due for tabling 11 March 2004

Rural Water Resource Usage
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee
Terms of reference include;
·       current rural industry based water resource usage; and
·       options for optimising water resource usage for sustainable 
agriculture.
Report due for tabling 24 June 2004.
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