The Coalition Government understands that the application of the GST to feminine hygiene products is an important issue to many people. Under the intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations and Commonwealth legislation, a change to the rate or base of the GST would need to be supported by all of the States and Territories. It would also require the passage of relevant legislation to be passed by both Houses of the Commonwealth Parliament.

At the Council on Federal Financial Relations Tax Reform Workshop on 21 August 2015, the States and Territories considered a proposal from the Commonwealth to remove the GST from feminine hygiene products. As there was no unanimous agreement at the time, no change to the existing GST arrangements for feminine hygiene products will be progressed.

Not one State or Territory has raised this issue with the Treasurer or indicated a change to their jurisdictions’ earlier view, including at the most recent meeting of Sate and Territory Treasurers in Melbourne several weeks ago.

The Coalition Government has been taking action to successfully address the problem of a narrowing GST base for the States and Territories through increased integrity measures and expansion into digital services and low value goods that will yield an additional $1.9 billion dollars next year. This means more funds for hospitals, schools and police. We are also working with the Sates to make the GST distribution system fairer, more resilient and more sustainable.

The removal of items from the GST base is ultimately a matter for the States and Territories, who have not supported any change to the treatment of feminine hygiene products, including when being given the opportunity to do so.

Carmichael Mine Project

Financing for the Carmichael mine project is a commercial matter and the final decision on whether to proceed with the project rests with Adani.

The Government is not providing special treatment for Adani to access export credit finance. Adani, like any Australian export project proponent, is able to apply for loans from Efic under its Commercial Account. Loans on Efic’s Commercial Account are a matter for Efic’s majority independent Board of Directors. The Minister cannot, by law, direct Efic who to lend to on its Commercial Account.

Loans on Efic’s Commercial Account are only made where there is a market gap in the availability of finance for otherwise commercially viable projects. Projects must meet high environmental, social and governance standards.

The Carmichael mine project has gone through a rigorous process of Federal and State government approvals. Consideration of the company’s environmental history was the most comprehensive undertaken for any Australian project to date. The Government imposed 36 strict conditions on the Carmichael mine’s approval and these conditions have been validated and upheld in Australia’s independent courts.

The Government’s position on Adani is clear, unlike that of Labor. Bill Shorten is trying to walk both sides of the street – telling coal miners in regional Queensland he supports the mine; while telling voters in inner city Melbourne he’s against it. It’s another example that shows Mr Shorten can’t be trusted.

No to Overseas Fishing Fleets and Restore Our Marine Sanctuaries

The Coalition Government is delivering a more balanced and scientific evidence-based approach to ocean protection, enabling tourism and well-managed fishing activity supporting local communities, local jobs and regional economies.

Key elements of the Coalition Government’s plans include:

•             An increase of 200,000 square kilometres in the area with sea floor protection.

•             16 per cent more of the total area of parks will be open to recreational fishing which includes access to 97 per cent of Commonwealth waters within 100 kilometres of the coast.

•             A four per cent decrease in the total area of marine parks open to mining.

•             The protection of 509 conservation features (reefs and canyons), 344 in the highest levels of protection, compared to 331 in Labor’s plans.

By being more targeted with restrictions and integrating marine park management with world-class fisheries management, we have not only increased conservation protection, but also ensured regional economies are supported.

The Government has also allocated $56 million to implement these plans, including funding for community engagement and science and an appropriate adjustment package which government will consult with industry on.

Under these plans, Australia will have world-class management of all marine parks in our oceans, starting from 1 July 2018. The plans can be found via www.parksaustralia.gov.au/marine

Block the bills! Protect our voice

The package of espionage and foreign interference legislative reforms

On 7 December 2017, the Prime Minister introduced a comprehensive package of legislative reforms implementing the findings of the former Attorney-General’s review of Australia’s espionage and foreign interference laws. The National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2017 will modernise and strengthen a number of existing criminal offences and will introduce into Australian law for the first time a range of foreign interference offences. The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill will establish a foreign influence transparency scheme to provide visibility of the nature and extent of foreign influence over Australia’s political and governmental processes.

Collectively these reforms contribute to addressing the threat posed by foreign states exerting improper influence over Australia’s government and political processes, which ASIO assesses is occurring at unprecedented levels.

In December 2017, the Turnbull Government also introduced legislation to restrict foreign political donations. This is because only Australians and Australian entities have a legitimate role in influencing Australian elections and political processes.

Safeguarding Australia’s democracy

The new and strengthened criminal offences in the National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2017 seek to protect Australia’s national security and safeguard Australian democracy. Espionage and foreign interference activities directed at Australian interests are not a new phenomenon; such activity is an enduring feature of the Australian security environment and can cause grave harm to Australia’s interests. It can include physical or other harm to individuals, loss of military advantage or compromise of national defences, and economic harm to Australian businesses and national economic well-being more broadly. Interference in Australian political processes seeking to advance the national interest of a foreign nation can undermine Australia’s constitutional system of government and national sovereignty.  In light of the unprecedented threat environment and the challenges faced by law enforcement and national security agencies, it is essential to expand the scope of the criminal law to cover the diverse range of espionage and foreign interference activities currently occurring in Australia.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2017 will establish a Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (the Scheme) to provide the public and decision-makers in government visibility of the level and extent to which foreign principals may be seeking to influence Australia’s government and political process. It will operate as a transparency measure, introducing registration obligations for persons and entities who have arrangements with, or undertake certain activities on behalf of, foreign principals. There is currently no scheme of this nature addressing foreign influence in Australia.  Left undisclosed, foreign influence can have serious implications for sovereignty and national policy as it may result in the prioritisation of foreign interests over domestic interests.

The objective of the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017 is to ensure all political campaigning that targets Australian voters is paid for by Australians – be it election advertising, campaign phone calls or how-to-vote recommendations. Foreign governments, foreign billionaires, and foreign companies have no legitimate role in funding these activities to influence Australian politics. The reality of modern political campaigning is that a range of entities – not just political parties and candidates – spend millions of dollars each year to influence voters. Banning foreign donations to some political campaign groups, but not others, would create loopholes for foreign interests to seek to influence Australian politics. This approach is consistent with foreign donations bans in other jurisdictions, including New South Wales, Canada and the United Kingdom, and enjoys broad support in the Commonwealth Parliament.

Application of reforms to the charities sector

Foreign influence transparency scheme

Charities perform a vital role in Australian society, providing invaluable services and support to the community. The establishment of a foreign influence transparency scheme will not operate to ban charities from advocating for their stated cause. The Scheme will not prohibit charities—or any body—from engaging in advocacy to influence political or governmental processes. However, where a body seeks to influence political or governmental processes on behalf of a foreign principal, the Scheme will require registration to ensure that such activities are transparent to Australian decision-makers and to the Australian public.

The Government has referred the Bill establishing the Scheme to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to conduct a public inquiry and to report to the Parliament. The Committee has received submissions from a range of charities, and the Government looks forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations. As the Attorney-General has made clear, the Government is open to refining the Scheme to ensure that it achieves its objective of promoting transparency about the nature and extent of foreign influence over Australia’s political and government processes.

Foreign political donations

Contrary to a campaign of misinformation, the Bill does not ban charities from advocating for their stated cause.

The Bill does not restrict charities from receiving foreign donations to fund non-political activity, such as medical research, conservation or aid projects.

A handful of charities (approximately 0.01 percent of Australian charities) are currently regulated by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) because they spend significant amounts of money on things like election advertising and campaigning at polling booths. Under current law, significant “political expenditure” incurred by any entity must be reported to the AEC.

This Bill will continue to apply Australia’s electoral laws to all key groups that participate in elections, including a very small number of charities. Far from targeting charities, this legislation extends Australia’s electoral laws to all entities seeking to influence Australian voters – be they an individual, a business, a union or a charity.

Under the Government’s legislation, any entity required to report their “political expenditure” to the AEC will need to ensure this money is raised from Australians. “Political expenditure” is defined in existing law, and includes expenditure on the production of material “intended or likely to affect voting in an election”.

Regarding GetUp

According to AEC data, in 2015-16 political campaign groups like GetUp spent almost $40 million influencing Australians’ votes.

GetUp alone incurred $10 million in political expenditure in the year leading up to the 2016 federal election, handing out how to vote cards and campaigning on election issues.

As a very significant political actor GetUp should clearly be subject to the same transparency and disclosure requirements as other political actors such as political parties, and GetUp should be subject to the same ban on foreign political donations.

Regarding claims about donations requiring a statutory declaration

The foreign political donations Bill provides for future regulations to determine what information a political party or political campaigner (like GetUp) can rely on to determine that a donation is permitted. That may, at an appropriate level, include a statutory declaration but is likely to include other appropriate and proportionate options.

Rebekha Sharkkie MP’s Competition and Consumer Amendment (Free Range Eggs) Bill 2018

Last year the Coalition Government made new labelling information standard for free range eggs. This will ensure that consumers have the information they need to make a choice based on their personal preferences when buying eggs.

For the first time, producers who choose to label their eggs ‘free range’ will be required to disclose how many hens per hectare they stock.

The information standard was developed after extensive consultation with consumer representatives and egg producers. It is intended to provide greater clarity to consumers about free range egg claims and reduce the regulatory uncertainty faced by egg producers. Compliance with the information standard will be mandatory from 26 April 2018. Producers who choose to use the term ‘free range’ will be required to comply with the maximum 10,000 hens per hectare stocking density limit. Supplying goods that do not comply with an information standard is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law and producers may be subject to penalties of up to $1.1 million.

The information standard requires that eggs labelled ‘free range’ have their stocking density prominently displayed on packaging. It is up to producers to decide what stocking density they use during production. For example, producers may apply a 1,500 or 8,000 hens per hectare label provided it is accurate. Consumers who prefer eggs from hens with a lower stocking density will be able to easily compare eggs on supermarket shelves and make an informed choice.

The information standard also requires free range egg producers to provide hens with meaningful access to the outdoor range on a regular basis. Eggs will not be allowed to be marketed as ‘free range’ if this requirement is not satisfied.

Animal welfare issues relation to poultry are being considered by Agriculture Ministers separately as part of the review of the Model Code for Poultry, which is currently available for public consultation.

Personally I always purchase free range eggs. I believe the best way to take a stance is to only go to restaurants and cafes that use free range eggs as they use a significant number of eggs.