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Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment

Current status

This bill became law on Nov 4th, 2025.

Policy area

Budget, tax & economy

What does this bill do?

Keeps the National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. tied to the current responsible person for a listed joint replacement device, rather than only the original sponsor listed when the device first entered the scheme.

Why was it introduced?

The National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. was already funded through a Commonwealth grant that is cost recovered by a levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. on joint replacement devices. The existing Act only tied the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. to the original sponsor of a device listing, so the bill shifted responsibility to the person specified in the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. rules and validated past collections where responsibility had changed over time.

Broader context

The National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. already collected hospital data to improve joint replacement care, with its administration partly funded through a levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. recovered from industry. The bill responded to a technical mismatch in the old levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. Act after responsibility for device listings could change over time, and it passed with a Senate statement criticising wider hospital funding and elective surgery delays rather than changing the bill text.

Key criticism

There was little dispute in the local record about the technical levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. fix itself. The main criticism came through Senator Ruston’s second-reading amendmentA parliamentary amendment to the motion about reading a bill a second time; it usually adds a political statement and does not change the bill text itself. and speech, which used the bill’s joint replacement context to attack the government over hospital funding negotiations, elective surgery waits, bed block and home-care delays.

Who supported it?

Hon Rebecca White MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.

Introduced in House 04 Sept 2025
Passed House 08 Oct 2025
Passed Senate 30 Oct 2025
Became law 04 Nov 2025

Did it become law?

Yes

Became law 04 Nov 2025

Final passage

Passed without a counted vote

1 recorded amendment or procedural vote was found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.

Passage speed

61 days

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. Keeps the National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. tied to the current responsible person for a listed joint replacement device, rather than only the original sponsor listed when the device first entered the scheme.

  2. Lets the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. rules specify who must pay, so the payment obligation can follow later business or listing changes for medical devices on the prescribed listThe list of medical devices and human tissue products used in private health insurance rules, including devices relevant to the registry levy..

  3. Validates certain past levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. payments where the payer was not technically the original sponsor but was the person responsible for the prosthesis or device under the relevant rules at the time.

  4. Protects cost recovery for the registry’s administration; the explanatory memorandum says the government would otherwise need to pay $3.3 million if the 2025-26 levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. could not be recovered.

  5. Does not change the National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes.’s role; debate described it as a technical administrative bill about who pays the existing levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices..

Show source excerpts
  1. The Bill will redefine the person responsible for payment of the levy under the NJRR Levy Act by allowing definition of that person through the rules made under section 8 of the Act.
    Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
  2. Currently, the act only recognises the person responsible at the time of the listing of a device, and not any subsequent person who is responsible for that listing over time due to business or other changes.
    Ministerial second reading speech
  3. the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Act 2009 has effect, and is taken always to have had effect, as if that person had been the sponsor of the device on the imposition day.
    Bill text as passed by both Houses
  4. There is nil cost to the Government if the Bill is passed and commences prior to 1 March 2026. If the government is unable to cost recover the levy for the 2025/2026 financial year the amount that the Government would need to pay is $3.3m.
    Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025 explanatory memorandum
  5. This bill makes a series of technical administrative amendments to ensure the national joint replacement register levy operates in line with its original policy intent.
    Anne Ruston second reading speech

Context

Broader context for this bill

The National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. already collected hospital data to improve joint replacement care, with its administration partly funded through a levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. recovered from industry. The bill responded to a technical mismatch in the old levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. Act after responsibility for device listings could change over time, and it passed with a Senate statement criticising wider hospital funding and elective surgery delays rather than changing the bill text.

  1. 2009

    Joint replacement registry levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. funds national data work

    The explanatory memorandum says the registry is administered by the Australian Orthopaedic Association and funded through a Commonwealth grant that is cost recovered under the 2009 levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. Act.

    Explanatory memorandum ↗
  2. Before 2025

    Device responsibility could change after listing

    The minister said the existing law recognised the person responsible when a device was first listed, but not a later responsible person after business or listing changes.

    Ministerial second reading speech ↗
  3. 04 Sept 2025

    Government introduces levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices.-responsibility bill

    The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to let rules identify the person responsible for paying the registry levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. and to validate certain past collections.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  4. 30 Oct 2025

    Senate adds hospital funding criticism

    The Senate agreed to Senator Ruston’s second-reading amendmentA parliamentary amendment to the motion about reading a bill a second time; it usually adds a political statement and does not change the bill text itself. criticising the government over hospital funding negotiations and elective surgery waits.

    Senate division record ↗
  5. 04 Nov 2025

    Levy changes become law

    The bill received Royal Assent as Act No. 55 of 2025 after passing both houses on 30 October 2025.

    APH bill page and final Act metadata ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 04 Sept 2025

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 04 Sept 2025

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 08 Oct 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House second reading agreed 08 Oct 2025

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 08 Oct 2025

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Introduced 27 Oct 2025

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 27 Oct 2025

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 Oct 2025

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate second reading agreed 30 Oct 2025

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 30 Oct 2025

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Passed both houses 30 Oct 2025

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Assent 04 Nov 2025

The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

There was little dispute in the local record about the technical levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. fix itself. The main criticism came through Senator Ruston’s second-reading amendmentA parliamentary amendment to the motion about reading a bill a second time; it usually adds a political statement and does not change the bill text itself. and speech, which used the bill’s joint replacement context to attack the government over hospital funding negotiations, elective surgery waits, bed block and home-care delays.

Coalition and Greens speakers both supported the bill; the carried Senate amendment was a political statement attached to the second-reading motion, not a textual amendment to the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. provisions.

Hospital funding agreement not secured

The Opposition amendment said the government had failed to secure a new five-year National Health Reform Agreement after the previous agreement expired in June 2025.

Raised by Anne Ruston, on behalf of the Opposition Source ↗

Elective surgery waits

Opposition and Greens speeches linked the bill’s joint replacement subject matter to wider concerns about patients waiting months or years for surgery.

Raised by Anne Ruston and Jordon Steele-John Source ↗

Bed block and home-care delays

Senator Ruston argued that delayed home-care packages were worsening hospital bed block and reducing hospital capacity for elective surgery.

Raised by Anne Ruston Source ↗

Further sources

parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗

Votes

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not 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.

08 Oct 2025

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.

30 Oct 2025

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.

Amendments at a glance

Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.

Senate

Carried

Hospital funding and elective surgery criticism

Aye 38 No 25

Moved by The Hon Anne Ruston (Liberal Party of Australia). Passed 38 to 25. Support came from Liberal Party, Greens, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

30 Oct 2025

The amendment passed 38 to 25, showing the Senate majority supported attaching broader hospital-funding criticism while still allowing the technical levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. bill to proceed.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 24
Liberal Party 18 / 0
Greens 10 / 0
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0

These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Rebecca White

Australian Labor Party • MP 04 Sept 2025

Rebecca White said the bill would keep the National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. aligned with the policy intent by making the person specified in the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. rules responsible for payment, rather than relying on the original device sponsor.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

Jordon Steele-John

Australian Greens • Senator 29 Oct 2025

Jordon Steele-John supported the bill as a small but important administrative change that keeps device manufacturers and importers contributing to the registry.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead voice Mixed

Anne Ruston

Liberal Party • Senator 29 Oct 2025

Anne Ruston said the Coalition supported the technical levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. changes because they make the current responsible person for a listed device pay the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. and protect past collections.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

1 speaker · 1 support

  1. Rebecca White ★ Rebecca White said the bill would keep the National Joint Replacement RegistryA national registry that collects and analyses information about joint replacement surgery to help monitor device performance and patient outcomes. levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. aligned with the policy intent by making the person specified in the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. rules responsible for payment, rather than relying on the original device sponsor.
    “The purpose of the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025 is to provide that the person responsible for payment of the levy under the act is the person specified in the rules made under section 8 of the act.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 04 Sept 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Coalition

1 speaker · 1 mixed

  1. Anne Ruston ★ Anne Ruston said the Coalition supported the technical levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. changes because they make the current responsible person for a listed device pay the levyA compulsory charge used here to recover the cost of running the National Joint Replacement Registry from people responsible for relevant medical devices. and protect past collections.
    “The coalition supports the bill. It is a sensible, technical measure that improves the operation of the levy.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 29 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Greens

1 speaker · 1 support

  1. Jordon Steele-John ★ Jordon Steele-John supported the bill as a small but important administrative change that keeps device manufacturers and importers contributing to the registry.
    “Today I am speaking in support of the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025. It makes a small but important administrative amendment to the operation of the National Joint Replacement Registry.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 29 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Record

Full record

Full chat