Senator IAN CAMPBELL (3:51 PM) —I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the Australian Tourist Commission Amendment Bill 1999 and move:

That these bills be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard .

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

THE SUPERANNUATION (UNCLAIMED MONEY AND LOST MEMBERS) BILL 1999

The Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Bill 1999 (the bill) establishes a scheme for ensuring that superannuation members who have lost contact with their fund have a comprehensive register to check where their superannuation is held. The bill will overcome deficiencies in existing provisions relating to unclaimed money and lost members.

With the increased superannuation coverage brought about by the superannuation guarantee arrangements introduced in 1992, many casual and itinerant workers (eg. farm and mining labourers) and those with broken employment patterns became `lost' members in that they lost the paperwork associated with their account, were never given the paperwork because they terminated employment before their superannuation guarantee contributions were made or lost contact with their fund in other circumstances.

The bill will particularly benefit employees who have changed jobs regularly, who have moved interstate or overseas and who have multiple superannuation accounts.

The bill formalises the Commissioner of Taxation's administration of unclaimed superannuation money and the details of lost members. This recognises the experience and efficiencies that the Australian Taxation Office has in system administration.

The bill also has a number of other important objectives. The bill:

. provides for greater co-operation between the Commonwealth, States and Territories in reuniting members with their superannuation;

. extends the use of the tax file numbers (TFNs) to lost members and unclaimed superannuation money held by the States and Territories consistent with the use of TFNs in other parts of the superannuation industry (eg. superannuation funds and unclaimed superannuation money held by the Commonwealth); and

. ensures consistent taxation treatment of unclaimed superannuation money held by the States and Territories.

The bill will result in a small unquantifiable increase in revenue due to the application of consistent taxation treatment to unclaimed superannuation money held by the States and Territories. The bill will also lead to a substantial reduction in administration costs for the Commonwealth, States and Territories as a consequence of provisions facilitating greater co-operation between stakeholders and by extending the use of TFNs to lost members and unclaimed superannuation money held by the States and Territories.

The bill has a minimal compliance cost impact.

Full details of the measures in this bill are contained in the explanatory memorandum.

I commend the bill.

SUPERANNUATION (UNCLAIMED MONEY AND LOST MEMBERS) CONSEQUENTIAL AND TRANSITIONAL BILL 1999

The Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Consequential and Transitional Bill 1999 makes consequential and transitional amendments to Commonwealth legislation as a result of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Bill 1999.

Full details of the measures in this Bill are contained in the explanatory memorandum.

I commend the bill.

MINISTERS OF STATE AMENDMENT BILL 1999

The Ministers of State Act 1952 prescribes the maximum annual sum for the payment of salaries to Ministers. Amendments to this act are therefore required from time to time to cover changes in the level of ministerial salaries or the number of Ministers.

The sum was increased to 1.64 million dollars for the 1995-96 financial year to meet increases in salaries for Ministers under the previous Government, and was reduced by this Government to 1.6 million dollars for future years. At the time it was noted that, had the previous Government remained in office, it would have been necessary to increase the annual sum appropriated to 1.78 million dollars.

The size of the Ministry has been increased from 28 to 30 since 1996, but the salaries of Ministers not in Cabinet have remained significantly lower than the salaries of Cabinet Ministers. The present modest increase in the annual sum has been necessitated by the increase in the number of Cabinet Ministers from 16 to 17 in October 1998.

AUSTRALIAN TOURIST COMMISSION AMENDMENT BILL 1999

The bill amends the Australian Tourist Commission Act 1987 by removing the requirement that the Commission ensure an outcome in relation to environmental and social impacts over which it has no power. This requirement is replaced with one that will ensure that the Commission maintains its involvement in social and environmental issues, but at a level appropriate to its powers in these areas.

The principal objectives of the Australian Tourist Commission are set out in Section 6 of the act. They are (a) to increase the number of visitors to Australia from overseas; (b) to maximise the benefits to Australia from overseas visitors; and (c) to ensure that Australia is protected from adverse environmental and social impacts of international tourism.

The Australian Tourist Commission works effectively as an international marketer of Australian tourism to meet its first two objects. The Commission does not have the power or capability to meet its third object, as has been pointed out by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit and the Australian National Audit Office, to ensure that Australia is protected from adverse environmental and social impacts of international tourism. While the Commission undertakes a number of activities aimed at protecting the environment and society from adverse impacts of international tourism, these measures could not be considered sufficient to "ensure" protection.

This has presented the Commission with a number of reporting and accountability problems.

The Australian National Audit Office indicated in its 1997/98 Review "Aspects of Corporate Governance; The Australian Tourist Commission" that the Commission was unable to demonstrate that it was fully meeting all of its statutory objects, particularly the object relating to ensuring the protection of Australia from adverse environmental and social impacts. Additionally, the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, in its Review of Auditor-General's Reports 1997-98, has recommended that the Commission should propose to its Minister that this statutory object should be amended to clarify the Commission's role.

The proposed amendment will allow the Commission to meet its statutory objects without removing its social and environmental responsibilities.

There will be no additional expenditure by the Commonwealth as a result of this bill.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

Debate (on motion by Senator O'Brien) adjourned.

Ordered that the Ministers of State Amendment Bill 1999 and the Australian Sports Commission Amendment Bill 1999 be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day.