Senator IAN CAMPBELL (Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (9:31 AM) —I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (7) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:

Australian Crime Commission Establishment Bill 2002,

New Business Tax System (Consolidation and Other Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2002, and

New Business Tax System (Franking Deficit Tax) Amendment Bill 2002.

I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION ESTABLISHMENT Bill 2002

Purpose of the Bill

The Bill will create the Australian Crime Commission to replace the National Crime Authority.

Reasons for Urgency

The Commonwealth and States and Territories made an agreement on terrorism and multi-jurisdictional crime at the COAG meeting of 5 April 2002. In relation to organised crime, it was agreed to replace the National Crime Authority (NCA) with an Australian Crime Commission (ACC) `that builds on the important features of the NCA for effective national law enforcement operation in partnerships with State and Territory police forces whilst removing the current barriers to its effectiveness.'

The Commonwealth and States and Territories also agreed that the ACC would come into operation by 31 December 2002. The ACC will be a Commonwealth body but, because of the cross-jurisdictional nature of the ACC's operations, complementary State and Territory legislation will also require amendment. Commonwealth legislation will need to be amended before 31 December in order for it to be interoperable with legislation in each State and Territory so that the ACC can commence operations by the end of the year.

(Circulated by authority of the Attorney-General and the Minister for Justice and Customs)

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NEW BUSINESS TAX SYSTEM (CONSOLIDATION AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL (No. 1) 2002

NEW BUSINESS TAX SYSTEM (FRANKING DEFICIT TAX) AMENDMENT BILL 2002

Purpose of the Bills

The consolidation regime allows groups to operate as a single entity for income tax purposes and thereby lodge a single tax return. The Bills are the next in a series of Bills that include provisions to establish the consolidation regime in the tax law. The Bills contain legislation for parts of the regime not dealt with in the previous two Bills.

The Bills also make certain consequential amendments following the introduction of the new simplified imputation system.

Reasons for Urgency

The consolidation regime and the simplified imputation system commenced on

1 July 2002 and it is therefore important that the measures in this Bill are enacted as soon as possible to enable taxpayers and their advisers to put arrangements in place for the 2002-2003 income year.

(Circulated by authority of the Treasurer)