Regulation Impact Statement Updates

Australia – Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement

5th April 2019

Independent Review - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

On 2 April 2019, the Government tabled the text of the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Parliament. This has now been referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.

The bilateral FTA is expected to:

guarantee free flow of data across borders without mandatory local data storage requirements; secure a legal guarantee that Australian exporters will continue to receive Hong Kong’s zero-tariff...

Review of the Australian Standards for the export of livestock (ASEL): Sea Transport

Aust Gov

5th April 2019

Independent Review – Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

On 19 March 2019, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the Department) released the final report on the Review of the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL): sea transport, as well as its response.

The review was undertaken to ensure the standards for live exports are fit-for-purpose and reflect the latest science. The review assessed the export of livestock by sea, from sourcing...

Prime Minister’s exemption – Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill 2019

Aust Gov

5th April 2019

Prime Minister's Exemption - Attorney-General's Department

On 3 April 2019, the Government introduced the Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Bill 2019 into Parliament.

The Bill will introduce new offences in the Criminal Code to ensure that internet, hosting or content services proactively refer abhorrent violent material to law enforcement, and that hosting and content services expeditiously remove from their platforms abhorrent violent material...

Dairy Industry (Farmer-Processor Transactions) Code of Conduct

Aust Gov

5th April 2019

Regulation Impact Statement - Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

On 15 March 2019, the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources announced the Government will be proceeding with a dairy industry mandatory code of conduct (the code) to help shift the balance in bargaining power back towards dairy farmers. The code will create enforceable minimum standards of conduct for business practices between farmers and processors, and is aimed at improving pricing transparency in...

Default Market Offer price cap and reference bill on retail electricity prices

Aust Gov

5th April 2019

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of the Environment and Energy

On 4 April 2019, the Government made the Competition and Consumer (Industry Code- Electricity Retail) Regulations 2019 (the Code) under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The Code is a mandatory industry code and introduces a Default Market Offer (DMO) price cap and a reference bill on retail electricity prices. The Code will take effect from 1 July 2019 in price-deregulated regions (South Australia, New South...

Funding the Regional Broadband Scheme

Aust Gov

1st April 2019

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Communications and the Arts

On 22 June 2017 the Government introduced the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer) Bill 2017 to Parliament.

Amongst other measures, the Bill establishes an ongoing funding arrangement for fixed wireless and satellite infrastructure by imposing a monthly charge on carriers, including NBN Co Ltd, in relation to each premises connected to their network that has an active fixed-...

Prudential Standard CPS 234 Information Security

Aust Gov

1st April 2019

Independent Review – Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)

On 7 November 2018, APRA released the final version of its prudential standard on information security management in the financial services industry. The standard was developed to increase APRA-regulated entities’ resilience against information security incidents (including cyber-attacks), and their ability to respond swiftly and effectively in the event of a breach.

Prudential Standard CPS 234 Information...

Biosecurity Import Levy

Aust Gov

1st April 2019

Independent Review – Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

As part of the 2018-19 Budget, the Government announced it will introduce a new levy on all containers and non-containerised cargo transported to Australia by sea from 1 July 2019, to enable the Government to invest in measures that will help it detect, identify and respond to exotic pests and diseases earlier.

This measure will apply a $10.02 levy per twenty foot container (or equivalent) and non‑containerised...