Sponsor speech Supports
Andrew Leigh
Leigh supports the bill because it is part of the government's deregulation agenda and will cut unnecessary compliance costs for businesses handling fuel and alcohol.
Read in Hansard ↗Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration)
Current status
This bill became law on Jun 28th, 2024.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
Fuel and alcohol businesses can keep the affected excise and customs warehouse licences running until they are cancelled, instead of having to keep renewing them.
Why was it introduced?
Fuel and alcohol businesses faced repeated licence renewals and separate warehouse and movement approvals, creating unnecessary administrative burden. The bill streamlines those rules by letting licences continue until cancelled, allowing one customs warehouse licenceThe licence that allows imported excise-equivalent goods to be stored in a warehouse under customs control. for multiple sites, permitting ongoing underbond movements, and creating a public registerThe online list of current licence holders that the bill requires the ATO to publish..
Broader context
Before this bill, fuel and alcohol businesses operated under excise and customs rules that required repeated licence renewals, separate warehouse licences and case-by-case approvals to move goods under bond, which ministers said imposed excessive administrative costs. After these streamlining measures were framed as part of the former Morrison government's March 2022 deregulation agenda, the Albanese government introduced the bill in May 2024 and Parliament passed it in June 2024, Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. followed on 28 June, and the substantive changes commenced on 1 July 2024.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with debate focusing on routine administrative streamlining rather than policy risks or major safeguards concerns. No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, and the few reservations raised were broader political calls for wider economic reform rather than criticisms of this bill itself.
Who supported it?
Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 16 May 2024
Passed House 29 May 2024
Passed Senate 27 June 2024
Became law 28 June 2024
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 28 June 2024
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
Members called out ‘aye’ or ‘no’ — no individual votes were recorded.
Passage speed
43 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Fuel and alcohol businesses can keep the affected excise and customs warehouse licences running until they are cancelled, instead of having to keep renewing them.
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Importers storing excise-equivalent fuel or alcohol can use one customs warehouse licenceThe licence that allows imported excise-equivalent goods to be stored in a warehouse under customs control. for multiple warehouses, instead of needing a separate licence for each warehouse.
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Licensed fuel and alcohol businesses can get ongoing permission to move underbond goodsGoods that are still under government control and cannot freely move or be sold until the rules allow it. between approved licensed sites, reducing the need to ask regulators for separate approvals each time.
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The ATOThe agency that will run the public licence register and administer parts of the excise system on this page. must publish an online register showing current licence holders so businesses can check who is licensed to store or make these goods.
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Onshore crude oil and condensate producers do not need an excise licenceThe licence needed to manufacture or store the covered fuel and alcohol goods under the excise rules. while a field stays below 30 million barrels in total production.
Show source excerpts
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This Bill amends the Excise Act to streamline licence application and renewal requirements for excise licences to store or manufacture excisable goods (other than tobacco goods). Additionally, the Bill amends the Customs Act to streamline licence application and renewal requirements for customs warehouse licences that authorise the warehousing of EEGs. The Bill also establishes a public register of entities that hold such licences.
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) explanatory memorandum -
(2) A warehouse licence may cover:
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) as-passed bill text -
The policy is to provide for ‘blanket’ movement permissions between licensed entities (by default on grant or variation of an entity’s licence covering more than one premises or warehouse, or on application by a licence holder including an entity whose licence covers a single premises or warehouse). This will allow for excisable goods to move between licensed premises, or EEGs to move between licensed warehouses, without specific permissions, unless that blanket permission is revoked. As such, if a licence is granted in relation to multiple premises, the policy intention is to allow the licence holder to, by default, have permission to move underbond goods between premises or warehouses covered by a licence held by them or another entity, where those premises or warehouses are authorised to store underbond goods of the kind to be moved. In the case of excise-equivalent warehouse licences, the blanket movement permission applies to the movement of EEGs only.
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) explanatory memorandum -
The ATO must publish and maintain a register of information about current excise licences and excise-equivalent warehouse licences including the name of the licence holder, the licence holder’s ABN (if any) and the Act under which the licence was granted.
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) explanatory memorandum -
Onshore producers of stabilised crude petroleum oil and condensate will not have to hold a licence under the Excise Act (for the purpose of producing stabilised crude petroleum oil and condensate) if the particular field has cumulatively produced less than the threshold of 4767.3 megalitres of stabilised crude petroleum oil and condensate since the establishment of the field.
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
Before this bill, fuel and alcohol businesses operated under excise and customs rules that required repeated licence renewals, separate warehouse licences and case-by-case approvals to move goods under bond, which ministers said imposed excessive administrative costs. After these streamlining measures were framed as part of the former Morrison government's March 2022 deregulation agenda, the Albanese government introduced the bill in May 2024 and Parliament passed it in June 2024, Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. followed on 28 June, and the substantive changes commenced on 1 July 2024.
- March 2022
Federal budget sets a deregulation agenda for business rules
Later parliamentary speeches described the bill as implementing final elements of the former Morrison government's March 2022 budget deregulation agenda.
Hansard ↗ - 16 May 2024
Government introduces the bill to cut red tape for fuel and alcohol businesses
The Assistant Minister said the bill would reduce excessive and unnecessary regulation and administrative costs for businesses involved in manufacturing, importing and distributing fuel and alcohol.
Hansard ↗ - 29 May 2024
House passes the bill
The House agreed to the third reading, completing the bill's passage through the chamber after debate over its deregulation measures.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 27 June 2024
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing its parliamentary passage and clearing the way for the streamlined licensing changes to become law.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 01 July 2024
Streamlined licensing changes commence
Because Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. was given on 28 June 2024, the Act commenced on 1 July 2024: the later of 1 July and the day after Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act..
Final Act text ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 16 May 2024
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 16 May 2024
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 28 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Sent to Federation Chamber for debate 28 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
Federation Chamber debate 28 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate
House second reading agreed 28 May 2024
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
Returned from Federation Chamber 29 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
House third reading agreed 29 May 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 24 June 2024
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 24 June 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Scrutiny of Bills review 26 June 2024
The scrutiny committee recorded that it considered the bill in Scrutiny Digest 9 of 2024.
Considered
Collected source bundleSecond reading debate 27 June 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second reading agreed 27 June 2024
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 27 June 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 27 June 2024
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 28 June 2024
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with debate focusing on routine administrative streamlining rather than policy risks or major safeguards concerns. No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, and the few reservations raised were broader political calls for wider economic reform rather than criticisms of this bill itself.
Recorded criticism was limited and did not amount to a substantive case against the bill.
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
Luke Howarth
Howarth says the coalition supports the bill because it streamlines excise and customs administration, cuts red tape and costs for businesses, and helps the economy.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Price says she supports the bill because it continues the former coalition's deregulation agenda and will cut red tape and costs for businesses.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Carol Brown
Brown supports the bill, saying it will cut red tape and administrative costs for businesses involved in fuel and alcohol manufacture, importation and distribution by changing licensing and fuel arrangements.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
2 speakers · 3 contributions · 2 support
Labor
2 speakers · 3 contributions · 2 support
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Andrew Leigh ★ 2 contributions Leigh supports the bill because it is part of the government's deregulation agenda and will cut unnecessary compliance costs for businesses handling fuel and alcohol.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Andrew Leigh on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Leigh supports the bill because it is part of the government's deregulation agenda and will cut unnecessary compliance costs for businesses handling fuel and alcohol. He says it removes licence renewals, fees and other administrative burdens so businesses can operate more easily and cheaply.
“This bill implements the remaining measures of the deregulation package.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Leigh supports the bill because he says it will cut red tape for fuel and alcohol businesses by simplifying licences, movements of dutiable goods and access to information, and by removing unnecessary administrative burdens. He commends it to the House as part of the government's deregulation agenda.
“For fuel producers, this bill will remove unnecessary administrative burdens by removing the requirement for onshore oil producers to hold a licence in certain circumstances. These changes support the government's strong commitment to deregulation, the aim of continuing to reduce administrative and compliance burdens for businesses. I commend this bill to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗ -
Carol Brown ★ Brown supports the bill, saying it will cut red tape and administrative costs for businesses involved in fuel and alcohol manufacture, importation and distribution by changing licensing and fuel arrangements.
“This bill contains measures that will deliver significant deregulation benefits for businesses that engage in the manufacture, importation and distribution of fuel and alcohol. Excess regulation and administrative costs for these businesses will be reduced by these measures through making changes to licensing and fuel arrangements. I commend this bill to the Senate.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
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Luke Howarth ★ Howarth says the coalition supports the bill because it streamlines excise and customs administration, cuts red tape and costs for businesses, and helps the economy.
“The coalition proudly supports this bill, which implements good coalition policy that will allow businesses to thrive and contribute to the economy's growth.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price ★ Price says she supports the bill because it continues the former coalition's deregulation agenda and will cut red tape and costs for businesses.
“I rise to speak to in support of the Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) Bill 2024. This bill represents a critical step in implementing the final elements of the former Morrison government's deregulation agenda as laid out in the March 2022 budget. Despite being delayed by the current Labor government, which postponed its implementation until 1 July 2024, this legislation is essential for reducing red tape and fostering economic group growth.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) Act 2024
- Act number
- Act No. 51, 2024
- Became law
- 28 June 2024
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act The later of 1 July 2024 and the day after Royal Assent; because Royal Assent was 28 June 2024, commencement was 1 July 2024.
- Registered
- 28 June 2024
- Administered by
- Department of the Treasury
- 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
- 16 May 2024
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.
- 16 May 2024
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.
- 28 May 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 May 2024
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 May 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 May 2024
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 May 2024
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 29 May 2024
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 24 June 2024
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.
- 24 June 2024
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.
- 27 June 2024
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 27 June 2024
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.
- 27 June 2024
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 27 June 2024
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 28 June 2024
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.
Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Considered
The scrutiny committee recorded that it considered the bill in Scrutiny Digest 9 of 2024.
Considered by scrutiny committee (26 June 2024): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 9 of 2024
Collected source bundle