✦ Plain-English Summary

Regulatory Powers (Standardisation Reform) Bill 2020

What it does

This bill updates how the government enforces rules across seven different areas: defence discipline, overseas student education, fishing, university quality standards, and tobacco advertising/packaging. It standardises the enforcement powers and penalties across these laws so they work more consistently instead of having different systems for each one.

Why it matters

When laws use the same enforcement framework, it's clearer what penalties apply, how inspections work, and what your rights are. This reduces confusion for businesses and individuals dealing with multiple government regulators, and makes it easier for regulators to do their jobs consistently.

Key details

• Covers seven laws: Defence Force Discipline Act, Education Services for Overseas Students Act, Fisheries Management Act, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act, and two tobacco laws
• Updates the 2014 framework: Applies a standardised set of regulatory tools (the Regulatory Powers Standard Provisions Act 2014) to these previously inconsistent acts
• Phased start dates: Different parts commence on different dates depending on coordination with related laws (like the new Federal Circuit and Family Court)

Official Description

Amends: six Acts to remove current provisions providing for regulatory regimes and apply the standard provisions of the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 ; and the Regulatory Powers (Standards Provisions) Act 2014 to make minor amendments to the ability of monitoring powers to be exercised in relation to matters and the descriptions of offence provisions and provisions relating to infringement notices which might apply to the contravention of both a civil penalty and criminal offence provision.

Committee Referrals

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.