Commentary on Amendments and Explanatory Materials [2022] AUSStaCSBSD 7 (4 February 2022)

• Commentary on amendments and explanatory materials
• Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Economic Empowerment) Bill 2021
• Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Board and Other Improvements) Bill 2019
• Defence Legislation Amendment (Discipline Reform) Bill 2021

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Commentary on amendments
and explanatory materials

Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Economic Empowerment) Bill 2021

1.72 On 30 November 2021, the Senate agreed to two Australian Greens amendments to the bill and the Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries (Senator Duniam) tabled an addendum to the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

1.73 The committee welcomes the Senate amendments to the bill which appear to address the committee's scrutiny concerns relating to the tabling of documents in Parliament.

1.74 The committee also thanks the assistant minister for tabling an addendum to the explanatory memorandum which includes key information previously requested by the committee.^[47]

Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority Board and Other Improvements) Bill 2019

1.75 On 1 December 2021, the Senate agreed to four government amendments to the bill and the Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience (Senator McKenzie) tabled a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to the bill.

1.76 The committee welcomes the Senate amendments to the bill which appear to address the committee's scrutiny concerns relating to computerised decision‑making.^[48]

Defence Legislation Amendment (Discipline Reform) Bill 2021

1.77 On 1 December 2021, the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Payne) tabled an addendum to the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

1.78 The committee thanks the minister for tabling an addendum to the explanatory memorandum which includes key information previously requested by the committee.^[49]

Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021

1.79 On 1 December 2021, the House of Representatives agreed to 17 government amendments to the bill and the Minister for Health and Aged Care (Mr Hunt) presented an addendum to the explanatory memorandum and a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill.

1.80 The committee thanks the minister for tabling an addendum to the explanatory memorandum which includes key information previously requested by the committee.^[50]

1.81 The committee makes no comment on amendments made or explanatory materials relating to the following bill:

• Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and Other Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021 (previous title: Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021)^[51]

• Corporation Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021^[52]

• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Contingency Measures) Bill 2021^[53]

• Electoral Legislation Amendment (Political Campaigners) Bill 2021^[54]

• Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Amendment Bill 2021^[55]

• Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 5) Bill 2021.^[56]

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[47] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 15 of 2021, pp. 4-5;

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 16 of 2021, pp. 42-44.

[48] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 7 of 2019, pp. 1-4;

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 8 of 2019, pp. 37-42;

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 10 of 2019, pp. 31-33.

[49] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 13 of 2021, pp. 4-7;

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 16 of 2021, pp. 84-94.

[50] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2021, pp. 25-29;

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 8 of 2021, pp. 83-104.

[51] On 1 December 2021, the Senate agreed to two opposition amendments and one Australian Greens amendment to the bill. Additionally, on 2 December 2021, the Minister for Regional Health (Dr Gillespie) presented a revised explanatory memorandum to the bill.

[52] On 29 November 2021, the House of Representatives agreed to four government amendments to the bill and the Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction (Mr T R Wilson) presented a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill. On 2 December 2021, the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General (Senator Stoker) tabled a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

[53] On 1 December 2021, the House of Representatives agreed to one government amendment to the bill and the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management (Mr Evans) presented a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill. Additionally, on 2 December 2021, the Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries (Senator Duniam) tabled a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

[54] On 1 December 2021, the Senate agreed to 25 government amendments to the bill and the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Payne) tabled a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to the bill.

[55] On 1 December 2021, the Minister for the Public Service (Mr Morton) presented a revised explanatory memorandum to the bill.

[56] On 1 December 2021, the Senate agreed to one Government and five Opposition amendments to the bill and the Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy (Senator Hume) tabled a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendment to the bill.