Matters of interest to the Senate [2020] AUSStaCSDLM 130 (11 November 2020)

• Chapter 2
• Matters of interest to the Senate

Chapter 2

Matters of interest to the Senate

2.1 Senate standing order 23(4) requires the committee to scrutinise each instrument to determine whether the Senate's attention should be drawn to it on the ground that it raises significant issues, or otherwise gives rise to issues that are likely to be of interest to the Senate.

2.2 This chapter identifies the instruments which the committee has resolved to draw to the attention of the Senate and the relevant legislation committee under standing order 23(4), with the exception of instruments which specify significant executive expenditure, which are listed in Chapter 3.^[1]

Instrument	Purpose	Portfolio committee
Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) (Subsidy and Other Measures) Amendment (Cessation of Temporary Funding Increases) Determination 2020 [F2020L01076] Aged Care (Subsidy, Fees and Payments) Amendment (Cessation of Temporary Funding Increases) Determination 2020 [F2020L01077]	To cease, from 1 September 2020, temporary aged care funding increases payable to approved aged care providers announced by the government on 20 March 2020.	Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
ASIC Corporations (Hardship Withdrawals Relief) Instrument 2020/778 [F2020L01069]	To provide responsible entities of registered managed investment schemes relief from certain provisions in Chapter 5C of the Corporations Act 2001 to facilitate withdrawals by members suffering hardship while the scheme is frozen.	Senate Economics Legislation Committee
ASIC Corporations (Litigation Funding Schemes) Instrument 2020/787 [F2020L01045]	To support the transition to the new regulatory framework for litigation funding schemes commencing on 22 August 2020 and to give effect to government policy on the regulation of litigation funding, including by providing exemptions to responsible entities of litigation funding schemes from certain provisions in Chapter 7 and Chapter 5C of the Corporations Act 2001.	Senate Economics Legislation Committee Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons – Ukraine) Continuing Effect Declaration 2020 (No 2) [F2020L01089]	To continue the designations and/or declarations of 138 persons and entities who the Foreign Minister is satisfied meet the criteria for the continuation of targeted financial sanctions and travel bans under the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011, and to revoke the designation of a deceased person.	Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee
Child Care Subsidy Amendment (Coronavirus Response Measures No. 6) Minister’s Rules 2020 [F2020L01052]	To increase the number of allowable absence days that are available to individuals whose children are in care at approved child care services in Victoria and to increase the cap on the appropriation in section 233 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 for payments under the Community Child Care Fund Special Circumstances Grant Opportunity program for the 2020-2021 financial year from $584 million to $623 million.	Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Amendment Rules (No. 8) 2020 [F2020L01165]	To amend the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Rules 2020 to extend the period of wage subsidy support provided under the JobKeeper scheme until 28 March 2021 by introducing a new two-tiered payment structure for fortnights beginning on or after 28 September 2020.	Senate Economics Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Deferral of Sunsetting—ASIO Special Powers Relating to Terrorism Offences) Determination 2020 [F2020L01134]	To provide that Division 3 of Part III of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (ASIO Act), which establishes the framework for ASIO to question and detain persons under a warrant in relation to terrorism offences, will continue to operate until 7 March 2021 despite the ASIO Act providing that the provisions sunset on 7 September 2020.	Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Amendment (Commercial Land Lease Threshold Test) Regulations 2020 [F2020L01131]	To amend the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Regulation 2015 to reinstate certain monetary thresholds for leasehold interests in non-sensitive commercial land that is not vacant.	Senate Economics Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
Migration Amendment (Hong Kong Passport Holders) Regulations 2020 [F2020L01047]	To amend the Migration Regulations 1994 to implement policy changes relating to visas for Hong Kong passport holders, including extending temporary skilled and temporary graduate visas and providing that temporary skill shortage visas will be for a period of five years.	Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Rules 2020 [F2020L00782]	To amend the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 to extend the capacity for consultants or independent contractors and their employees to exercise powers under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997, in addition to the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.	Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Radiocommunications (Spectrum Licence Tax) Amendment Determination 2020 (No. 1) [F2020L01167]	To amend the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Licence Tax) Determination 2014 to introduce the new Electromagnetic Energy component of the spectrum licence tax imposed on ‘designated spectrum licences’ to recover the costs of the EME Program.	N/A
Social Security (Coronavirus Economic Response—2020 Measures No. 14) Determination 2020 [F2020L01093]	To amend multiple instruments and modify the Social Security Act 1991 to: • extend the period in respect of which the COVID-19 supplement will be paid (at a lower rate of $250); • reinstate the assets tests and the liquid assets test waiting period for certain payments; • temporarily increase the income free area to $300 a fortnight for certain JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other) recipients; and • increase the partner income taper rate for JobSeeker Payment recipients from 25 cents for every dollar over the partner income free area to 27 cents for every dollar over the partner income free area.	Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19

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[1] Details of all instruments which the committee has resolved to draw to the attention of the Senate under standing order 23(4) are published on the committee's website: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Scrutiny_of_Delegated_Legislation/Matters_of_interest_to_the_Senate.