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Monday, 19 November 2012
Page: 9069

Senator MILNE (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (20:30): I move Australian Greens amendment (24) on sheet 7202:

(24) Page 60 (after line 15), after clause 84, insert:

84A Review of operation of regulations

   (1) The Minister must cause a review to be undertaken of the first 2 years of the operation of the regulations made under this Act.

   (2) The persons undertaking the review must give the Minister a written report of the review within 6 months after the end of 2 years after the commencement of the regulations.

   (3) The Minister must cause a copy of the report of the review to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after its receipt by the Minister.

Amendment (24) on sheet 7202 is the final amendment I move to this particular bill. It goes to the issue of a review of the operation of the regulations and it is basically a straightforward requirement for there to be a review of the first two years of the operation of the regulations, that the review is to be completed within six months of the end of the two-year period and that the review be tabled. It is to make sure that there is a timely review of the operation of the regulations under the act, that the persons undertaking the review give the minister a written report and that report be laid before each house of parliament within 14 sitting days of that house after it is received by the minister. This is so that, given that we are not seeing the regulations, we get to see a review of the regulations after the first two years of their operation under the act. Given the level of concern I have about how the regulations may operate, given that we have not seen them, I think it is critical that we have a timely review of those regulations.