Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1        On 18 March 2015, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Hon Christian Porter MP, introduced the Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015 (bill) into the House of Representatives.[1]

1.2        On 19 March 2015, pursuant to the Selection of Bills Committee report, the Senate referred the provisions of the bill to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2015.[2]

Overview of the bill

1.3        The bill follows on from the autumn and spring omnibus repeal day bills in 2014. The Explanatory Memorandum (EM) outlines that the bill is a whole of government initiative to amend or repeal legislation across seven portfolios.[3]

1.4        According to the Parliamentary Secretary's second reading speech:

An important element of this government's red tape commitment is dedicating parliamentary sitting days for the repeal of regulation. These repeal days are for the purpose of repealing counterproductive, unnecessary or redundant legislation and, consequently, removing associated regulations.

These repeal days also allow us to remove the redundant or obsolete items of legislation that we do not use and do not need anymore.

Allowing spent and redundant acts to remain in force on the Commonwealth's statute book makes it harder for businesses, community organisations, families and individuals to find out about the regulations that matter to them.[4]

Conduct of the inquiry

1.5        Details of the inquiry, including links to the bill and associated documents, were placed on the committee's website at: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fpa.

1.6        The committee also directly contacted the affected portfolios to invite submissions by 17 April 2015. The committee received one submission from The Treasury (see Appendix 1) and therefore the committee decided to prepare its report on the papers.

1.7        The committee notes that the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills made no comment on the bill.[5]

Conclusion

1.8        As no issues were raised with the committee the committee recommends that the Senate pass the bill.

Recommendation 1

1.9        The committee recommends that the Senate pass the bill.

Senator Cory Bernardi
Chair

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