Note: Where available, the PDF/Word icon below is provided to view the complete and fully formatted document
Not - for -profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill 2013
Go To First Hit

2010-2011-2012-2013

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

THE SENATE

 

 

 

 

Presented and » read a first time

 

 

 

 

 

 

« Not » - « for » -profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Bill 2013

 

No.        , 2013

 

(Finance « and » Deregulation)

 

 

 

 

A Bill « for » an Act to prohibit Commonwealth agreements from restricting or preventing « not » - « for » -profit entities from commenting on, advocating support « for » or opposing changes to Commonwealth law, policy or practice, « and » « for » related purposes

   

   

   



Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2

3............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 2

4............ Agency « not » to include prohibited content in Commonwealth agreement  3

5............ Prohibited content............................................................................... 3

6............ Compensation « for » acquisition of property........................................... 3

7............ Application.......................................................................................... 4

 



A Bill « for » an Act to prohibit Commonwealth agreements from restricting or preventing « not » - « for » -profit entities from commenting on, advocating support « for » or opposing changes to Commonwealth law, policy or practice, « and » « for » related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1   Short title

                   This Act may be cited as the « Not » - « for » -profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Act 2013 .

2   Commencement

                   This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

3   Definitions

                   In this Act:

agency means an entity mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (h) of the definition of agency in subsection 6(1) of the Privacy Act 1988 .

Commonwealth agreement means a legally binding agreement between an agency (on behalf of the Commonwealth) « and » a « not » - « for » -profit entity.

confidential information means information, the disclosure of which:

                     (a)  would found an action « for » breach of confidence; or

                     (b)  would disclose:

                              (i)  trade secrets; or

                             (ii)  any other information having a commercial value that would be, or could reasonably be expected to be, destroyed or diminished if the information were disclosed; or

                     (c)  would be a disclosure of information likely to prejudice national security (within the meaning of subsection 17(1) of the National Security Information (Criminal « and » Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 ).

« not » - « for » -profit entity means:

                     (a)  an entity that is entitled to be registered under the « Australian » « Charities » « and » « Not » - « for » - « profits » « Commission » Act 2012 ; or

                     (b)  a non-profit body (within the meaning of the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 ).

prohibited content has the meaning given by section 5.

4   Agency « not » to include prohibited content in Commonwealth agreement

             (1)  An agency must « not » include prohibited content in a Commonwealth agreement.

             (2)  If, apart from this subsection, a Commonwealth agreement includes prohibited content, that prohibited content is void.

5   Prohibited content

             (1)  Prohibited content is any requirement that restricts or prevents a « not » - « for » profit entity (including staff of the « not » - « for » -profit entity) from commenting on, advocating support « for » or opposing a change to any matter established by law, policy or practice of the Commonwealth.

             (2)  However, the requirement is « not » prohibited content to the extent that it restricts or prevents a « not » - « for » profit entity from disclosing information that:

                     (a)  is confidential information; or

                     (b)  is personal information (within the meaning of the Privacy Act 1988 ).

6   Compensation « for » acquisition of property

             (1)  If the operation of this Act would result in an acquisition of property from a person otherwise than on just terms, the Commonwealth is liable to pay a reasonable amount of compensation to the person.

             (2)  If the Commonwealth « and » the person do « not » agree on the amount of the compensation, the person may institute proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia « for » the recovery from the Commonwealth of such reasonable amount of compensation as the Court determines.

             (3)  In this section:

acquisition of property has the same meaning as in paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution.

just terms has the same meaning as in paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution.

7   Application

             (1)  This Act applies to a Commonwealth agreement entered into before, on or after the commencement of this Act.

             (2)  Despite subsection (1), subsection 4(1) applies to a Commonwealth agreement entered into on or after the commencement of this Act.

             (3)  Subsection (4) applies if, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a Commonwealth agreement includes prohibited content.

             (4)  Despite subsection (1):

                     (a)  subsection 4(2) has the effect that prohibited content in the Commonwealth agreement becomes void on the commencement of this Act; « and »

                     (b)  paragraph (a) does « not affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued or incurred under the prohibited content before the commencement of this Act.