Acts of Parliament assented to - Act No. 117, 118, 120 to 129 of 2019

Overview

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Relief Measures) Act (No. 2) 2019 was enacted to address the specific financial hardships faced by farm households in Australia. This legislation aims to provide timely financial relief to these households by amending the Farm Household Support Act 2014. The enacting body was the Australian Parliament, which sought to address the identified gap in support mechanisms for farm households. The underlying policy objective was to provide a safety net for farm households, ensuring that they have the necessary financial support to sustain their operations and livelihoods. The Act was assented to on 11 December 2019, reflecting the urgency and importance of addressing the economic challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

Scope and Application

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Relief Measures) Act (No. 2) 2019 is a Commonwealth Act that amends the Farm Household Support Act 2014 to provide further relief measures for farm households affected by drought or other adverse weather conditions. The Act applies to persons or entities involved in agricultural activities who are eligible for assistance under the Farm Household Support Act 2014. The Act extends to all states and territories of Australia and is subject to the provisions of the Farm Household Support Act 2014. The Act does not contain any stated exclusions or exemptions. The Act may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments such as regulations or guidelines made under the Farm Household Support Act 2014. The Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 is a Commonwealth Act that allows special recreational vessels to apply for temporary licences under the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012. The Act applies to owners or operators of special recreational vessels who wish to operate in Australian waters for recreational purposes. The Act extends to all states and territories of Australia and is subject to the provisions of the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012. The Act does not contain any stated exclusions or exemptions. The Act may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments such as regulations or guidelines made under the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012.

Key Provisions

The Farm Household Support Amendment (Relief Measures) Act (No. 2) 2019 (section 3) provides additional relief measures for farm households affected by drought and other adverse conditions. This Act allows the Minister for Agriculture to make payments to eligible farm households to assist with the costs of water, fodder, and other essential inputs. The Act also amends the Farm Household Support Act 2014 (section 5) to provide for the establishment of a Farm Household Drought Relief Fund to support affected farmers. The Act requires the Minister to consider a range of factors when determining eligibility for payments, including the severity of the drought and the financial circumstances of the farm household (section 6). The Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 (section 4) allows special recreational vessels to apply for temporary licenses under the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012. This Act aims to support the growth of the recreational boating industry in Australia by providing a streamlined process for obtaining temporary licenses for special recreational vessels. The Act defines special recreational vessels as vessels that are not primarily used for commercial purposes and have a length of less than 24 meters (section 5). The Act also sets out the conditions and requirements for obtaining a temporary license, including safety and environmental standards (section 7). The Health Legislation Amendment (Data-matching and Other Matters) Act 2019 (section 3) imposes obligations on healthcare providers to share patient data with the Department of Health for the purposes of improving healthcare outcomes and reducing administrative burdens. This Act amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 (section 4) to allow for the sharing of patient data between healthcare providers and the Department of Health. The Act also sets out the conditions and requirements for data-sharing, including privacy and security measures (section 5). The Act requires healthcare providers to comply with the data-sharing requirements or face penalties, including fines and imprisonment (section 8). The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Assistance and Access Amendments Review) Act 2019 (section 3) amends the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 and the Intelligence Services Act 2001 to improve the effectiveness of intelligence and law enforcement agencies in combating serious crime and terrorism. This Act allows authorised officers to access telecommunications data and provide assistance to other agencies in the investigation of serious crimes (section 4). The Act also sets out the conditions and requirements for accessing telecommunications data, including judicial oversight and privacy protections (section 5). The Act imposes penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for unauthorised access to telecommunications data (section 7). The National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Act 2019 (section 3) imposes a levy on persons who provide licensed interactive wagering services to fund the National Self-exclusion Register. This Act aims to provide a national self-exclusion scheme to help problem gamblers exclude themselves from interactive wagering activities (section 4). The Act sets out the conditions and requirements for the levy, including the calculation of the levy amount and the use of levy funds (section 5). The Act also imposes penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for non-compliance with the levy requirements (section 7).