Commentary on Amendments and Explanatory Materials [2017] AUSStaCSBSD 277 (16 August 2017)

• Commentary on amendments and explanatory materials
• Fair Work Amendment (Corrupting Benefits) Bill 201746
• Prime Minister and Cabinet Legislation Amendment (2017 Measures No. 1) Bill 201747
• No comments

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Commentary on amendments
and explanatory materials

Fair Work Amendment (Corrupting Benefits) Bill 2017^[46]

[Scrutiny Digests 4 & 5 of 2017]

1.41 In Scrutiny Digest No. 4 of 2017 and Scrutiny Digest No. 5 of 2017 the committee raised a number of scrutiny concerns in relation to this bill. A number of the amendments agreed to by the Senate address the committee's scrutiny concerns regarding the application of strict liability and the power for regulations to prescribe additional matters which would form part of an offence.

1.42 The committee welcomes the amendments made by the Senate removing the application of strict liability and the power for regulations to prescribe additional matters which would form part of an offence, although it notes that the amendments do not address all of the committee's scrutiny concerns regarding the breadth of the offence provision.

Prime Minister and Cabinet Legislation Amendment (2017 Measures No. 1) Bill 2017^[47]

[Scrutiny Digests 5 & 6 of 2017]

1.43 The committee thanks the Assistant Minister for tabling an addendum to the explanatory memorandum which includes key information previously requested by the committee.^[48]

No comments

1.44 The committee has no comments on amendments made or explanatory material relating to the following bill:

• Australian Education Amendment Bill 2017^[49]

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[46] On 9 August 2017 the Senate agreed to 8 Opposition (two as amended by further Government amendments) and five Liberal Democratic Party amendments, and the Minister for Employment (Senator Cash) tabled a supplementary explanatory memorandum. On 10 August 2017 the House of Representatives agreed to the Senate amendments and the bill was passed.

[47] On 8 August 2017 in the House of Representatives the Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation (Mr Taylor) presented an addendum to the explanatory memorandum and the bill was read a third time.

[48] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest No. 6 of 2017, 14 June 2017, pp 140–143.

[49] On 21 June 2017 the Senate agreed to four Government amendments, one Government request for an amendment and the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham) tabled a supplementary explanatory memorandum. On 22 June 2017 the Senate agreed to four Government amendments (one as amended by the Australian Greens) and 15 Government requests for amendments. On the same day the House of Representatives made the Senate's requested amendments, agreed to the Senate amendments and the bill was passed.