Sponsor speech Supports
Catherine King
Ms King supports the bill.
Read in Hansard ↗Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment
Current status
This bill became law on Dec 13th, 2022.
Policy area
Industry, agriculture & resources
What does this bill do?
Animal industry levy money can now be used to pay a non-government industry body's share of emergency biosecurity deed costs owed to the Commonwealth for a covered animal product.
Why was it introduced?
Existing animal and plant health funding laws left redundant rules, inconsistent levy spending powers, and no clear way to support future emergency biosecurity deeds such as an aquatic animal disease deedA proposed future response deed for exotic aquatic animal diseases that the bill is meant to allow the animal funding law to support.. The bill removes outdated provisions and expands and aligns levy rules so payments, broader plant health work, and future detailed regulations can be handled more easily.
Broader context
Australia already used separate federal funding laws to pass animal and plant industry levies to Animal Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives animal levy payments and helps coordinate emergency animal disease responses. and Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses. for biosecurity work and emergency response deed costs, but parts of those laws had become outdated after honey levy arrangements shifted in 2015 and the animal law did not neatly support a proposed aquatic animal disease deedA proposed future response deed for exotic aquatic animal diseases that the bill is meant to allow the animal funding law to support.. After supportive 2021 consultation, the bill was introduced in 2022 to align and widen levy spending powers, remove redundant rules and add regulation-making power, then became law in December 2022 and began operating the next day.
Key criticism
No direct criticism of the 2022 bill was found in the supported 2022-bill corpus. The collected 2022 speeches support the bill and describe it as a practical measure to streamline and widen biosecurity levy arrangements.
Who supported it?
Hon Catherine King MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 28 Sept 2022
Passed House 29 Nov 2022
Passed Senate 01 Dec 2022
Became law 13 Dec 2022
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 13 Dec 2022
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
Members called out ‘aye’ or ‘no’ — no individual votes were recorded.
Passage speed
76 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
-
Animal industry levy money can now be used to pay a non-government industry body's share of emergency biosecurity deed costs owed to the Commonwealth for a covered animal product.
-
The Governor-GeneralThe office that can make regulations under the amended animal funding law, giving detailed rules legal force. can now make regulations under the animal health funding law, giving the government a standing way to fill in detailed rules later.
-
Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses. will receive Commonwealth payments matching all levy receipts collected for each covered plant product each year.
-
Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses. will also receive matching Commonwealth payments for penalty amounts collected on those plant levies each year.
-
Plant emergency response levy money can now also be spent on broader plant health work, not just paying emergency deed liabilities, if the relevant industry body asks for it.
Show source excerpts
-
(5) The third priority is to apply the Commonwealth payment in making, on behalf of a non‑government body that is a party to an emergency biosecurity response deed and is concerned with the production of the animal product, a payment to the Commonwealth for the purpose of discharging a liability of the body to the Commonwealth that arises under that deed.
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment as-passed bill text -
The Governor‑General may make regulations prescribing matters:
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment as-passed bill text -
(1) The Commonwealth is to pay to PHA an amount equal to the total PHA levy or charge receipts from each PHA plant product for a PHA year.
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment as-passed bill text -
(2) The Commonwealth is to pay to PHA an amount equal to the total PHA penalty receipts from each PHA plant product for a PHA year.
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment as-passed bill text -
(6) The fourth priority is to make payments to any person, in accordance with a request by a relevant Plant Industry Member for the EPPR plant product referred to in subsection (1), for any other purpose relating to the promotion or maintenance of the health of:
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment as-passed bill text
Context
Broader context for this bill
Australia already used separate federal funding laws to pass animal and plant industry levies to Animal Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives animal levy payments and helps coordinate emergency animal disease responses. and Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses. for biosecurity work and emergency response deed costs, but parts of those laws had become outdated after honey levy arrangements shifted in 2015 and the animal law did not neatly support a proposed aquatic animal disease deedA proposed future response deed for exotic aquatic animal diseases that the bill is meant to allow the animal funding law to support.. After supportive 2021 consultation, the bill was introduced in 2022 to align and widen levy spending powers, remove redundant rules and add regulation-making power, then became law in December 2022 and began operating the next day.
- 2015
Honey levy arrangements move from Animal Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives animal levy payments and helps coordinate emergency animal disease responses. to Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses.
After the Australian Honey Bee Industry CouncilThe honey industry group whose move away from Animal Health Australia made the old honey wording in the animal law unnecessary. left Animal Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives animal levy payments and helps coordinate emergency animal disease responses., the honey emergency animal disease levy ceased and remaining honey reserves were transferred to Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses., leaving an old animal-law provision redundant.
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment explanatory memorandum ↗ - 08 Oct 2021
Consultation on updating the levy laws closes
A four-week consultation on the proposed amendments ended with 11 submissions, all supporting changes to streamline and align the biosecurity funding rules.
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment explanatory memorandum ↗ - 28 Sept 2022
Government introduces the bill to update biosecurity funding rules
The bill was introduced with the government saying it would remove redundant provisions, improve levy administration and prepare the animal funding law for future deeds such as a proposed aquatic animal disease deedA proposed future response deed for exotic aquatic animal diseases that the bill is meant to allow the animal funding law to support..
Hansard ↗ - 01 Dec 2022
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, clearing the way for aligned animal and plant levy rules and broader permitted uses of plant emergency response levies.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 13 Dec 2022
Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. brings the changes into law
The bill received Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. and, under the explanatory memorandum, the amendments commenced on the following day.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 28 Sept 2022
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 28 Sept 2022
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 29 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed 29 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
House third reading agreed 29 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 30 Nov 2022
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 30 Nov 2022
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Senate second reading agreed 01 Dec 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Senate third reading agreed 01 Dec 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 01 Dec 2022
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 13 Dec 2022
The Governor-GeneralThe office that can make regulations under the amended animal funding law, giving detailed rules legal force. gave Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
No direct criticism of the 2022 bill was found in the supported 2022-bill corpus. The collected 2022 speeches support the bill and describe it as a practical measure to streamline and widen biosecurity levy arrangements.
The 10 February 2022 debate material is excluded because it refers to the earlier 2021 bill, not this 2022 bill.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The bill passed both chambers on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage.
Passed House passed the bill
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
House passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Passed Senate passed the bill
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
Senate passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Lead supporting voice Supports
Michael McCormack
McCormack supports the bill and says the coalition will back good legislation that strengthens Australia’s biosecurity system.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Aaron Violi
Aaron Violi supports the bill because he says it will make levy structures and spending more efficient and strengthen Australia’s biosecurity response.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
James Stevens
James Stevens says the coalition will support the bill because it strengthens the partnership between government, industry and producers to protect the sector from biosecurity and emergency risks.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
1 speaker · 2 contributions · 1 support
Labor
1 speaker · 2 contributions · 1 support
-
Catherine King ★ 2 contributions Ms King supports the bill.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Catherine King on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Ms King supports the bill. She says it will broaden and streamline levy arrangements for Animal Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives animal levy payments and helps coordinate emergency animal disease responses. and Plant Health AustraliaThe industry body that receives plant levy payments and helps coordinate plant biosecurity and emergency pest responses. so industry can spend biosecurity funds more effectively while still meeting emergency response costs.
“This bill will achieve this by broadening the range of permissible uses for those levies.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Ms King supports the bill, saying it will make biosecurity levy funding arrangements more efficient, reduce administrative burden, and give industry more flexibility to fund emergency responses and biosecurity plans.
“These prudent and needed changes will contribute to the ability of industries to sustainably fund their biosecurity plans, contribute to eradication responses, and, of course, ensure that Australia's biosecurity regime continues to protect Australia's unique agriculture, environment and way of life. I commend the bill to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Coalition
4 speakers · 4 support
Coalition
4 speakers · 4 support
-
Michael McCormack ★ McCormack supports the bill and says the coalition will back good legislation that strengthens Australia’s biosecurity system.
“But the point of this legislation is important, and we need to make sure that our biosecurity system is what it needs to be and is even improved upon. I do thank the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, for bringing this forward and for his endeavours to make sure that Animal Health and Plant Health and biosecurity are what they need to be. We need to take every step, use every measure, to ensure that we stop harmful pests and diseases entering Australia, through whichever way—whether it's via cargo, sea vessels and aircraft, international travellers, post and mail or natural pathways—because our farmers expect nothing less. They deserve nothing less. And we need to do everything we can to protect the clean, green standards that have made us No. 1—No. 1 in the very best produce in all of the world. I commend the Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Aaron Violi ★ Aaron Violi supports the bill because he says it will make levy structures and spending more efficient and strengthen Australia’s biosecurity response.
“My point is simple. We all know the importance of agriculture in Australia. In my electorate, it is even more important. I am glad to see legislation fostering this in the House. This bill serves to protect the industries so important to Australia and especially Casey. I hope this bill is the first step of many towards even stronger measures cementing Australia as a top exporter of produce and meat around the globe. We have the land. We have the talented farmers. We just have to ensure the health of our produce through measures like this going forward. I commend this bill to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
James Stevens ★ James Stevens says the coalition will support the bill because it strengthens the partnership between government, industry and producers to protect the sector from biosecurity and emergency risks.
“What this bill does, exactly in line with the way AWI operates, is to make sure that there's a really strong, healthy partnership between the government, the industry and the individual participants in the industry to help protect them and respond to emergency circumstances to safeguard and protect the industry. We in the coalition are very happy to support this bill which effectively mirrors a bill that we introduced in the last parliament—it made it through this chamber but not the Senate—and we look forward to it being able to pass before the end of the year so it can proceed to provide the benefit it's designed to provide, to the various industries that rely on it. With those words, I commend the bill to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
David Littleproud Littleproud says the coalition supports the bill because it streamlines the animal and plant health funding laws, cuts red tape, and strengthens Australia’s biosecurity system.
“The federal coalition supports the passage of the Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Bill 2022. This bill contains amendments which will streamline administrative processes in the Australian Animal Health Council (Livestock Industries) Funding Act 1996 and the Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002 by removing redundant provisions, adding provisions that create efficiencies and improve future levy arrangements and increasing consistency between these two acts regarding the spending of emergency response levies.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Act 2022
- Act number
- Act No. 90, 2022
- Became law
- 13 Dec 2022
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 14 Dec 2022
- Registered
- 15 Dec 2022
- Administered by
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Final law metadata was collected from the APH progress table; commencement rows were parsed from the bill text.
- Status
- Act -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 28 Sept 2022
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 28 Sept 2022
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 29 Nov 2022
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 29 Nov 2022
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 29 Nov 2022
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 30 Nov 2022
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 30 Nov 2022
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 01 Dec 2022
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 01 Dec 2022
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 01 Dec 2022
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 13 Dec 2022
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-GeneralThe office that can make regulations under the amended animal funding law, giving detailed rules legal force. gave Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.