Mrs BRONWYN BISHOP (Aged Care) (12:44 PM) —I move:

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill is an adjunct to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill 1998 . The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (Licence Charges) Bill 1998 provides the capacity for annual charges to be made for licences issued under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill 1998. This is in line with the government's decision that Commonwealth entities regulated under the ARPANS Bill should bear the costs of such regulation, ensuring that there will be no additional burden on the Commonwealth or the public purse.

To give effect to the government's decision, Commonwealth entities such as the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation will be charged licence application fees and annual licence charges. The former is dealt with in the main bill; however, as annual charges are treated as taxes and the Constitution requires that taxes must be dealt with separately in purpose specific legislation, this separate bill has been prepared. I commend the bill to the House and present the explanatory memorandum.

Debate (on motion by Mr McClelland) adjourned.