Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Act 2026

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Act 2026

No. 63, 2026

An Act to amend legislation relating to the black coal mining industry long service leave scheme, and for related purposes

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

Part 1—Amendments commencing day after Royal Assent

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992

Part 2—Amendments commencing second month after Royal Assent

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Act 2026

No. 63, 2026

An Act to amend legislation relating to the black coal mining industry long service leave scheme, and for related purposes

[Assented to 6 July 2026]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act is the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Act 2026.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedules

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Part 1—Amendments commencing day after Royal Assent

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992

1  Subsection 7(2)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

 (2) The percentage applicable in respect of a day is 2 percentage points above:

 (a) unless paragraph (b) applies:

 (i) the cash rate target most recently published by the Reserve Bank of Australia (the Reserve Bank); or

 (ii) if the Reserve Bank no longer publishes an interest rate called the cash rate target—the most recent interest rate published by the Reserve Bank that is substantively the same as the cash rate target; or

 (b) if an interest rate is prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph—that interest rate.

Note: The cash rate target published by the Reserve Bank is commonly referred to as the cash rate. For details of the cash rate target and other interest rates published by the Reserve Bank, see www.rba.gov.au.

2  Subsection 7(4)

Repeal the subsection.

Part 2—Amendments commencing second month after Royal Assent

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992

3  At the end of Division 6 of Part 5A

Add:

39G  Employment relating to unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) This section applies if:

 (a) under Schedule 1 to the Payroll Levy Collection Act, the Board approves an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation; and

 (b) because of a lack of sufficient information about the employment by the person of an employee covered by the arrangement during a relevant employment period, the entitlement (if any) of the employee to long service leave under this Part cannot be worked out.

 (2) For the purposes of working out that entitlement:

 (a) any assumptions determined under subsection (3) for the purposes of this paragraph must be made; and

 (b) any assumptions determined under subsection (3) for the purposes of this paragraph may be made; and

 (c) any other reasonable assumptions, about the matters about which there is insufficient information, may be made.

 (3) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine assumptions for the purposes of paragraph (2)(a) or (b).

 (4) In this section:

cover has the same meaning as in Schedule 1 to the Payroll Levy Collection Act.

relevant employment period has the same meaning as in Schedule 1 to the Payroll Levy Collection Act.

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992

4  After section 9

Insert:

9A  Payment arrangements for historical arrears of levy

Schedule 1

  Schedule 1 has effect.

Note: Schedule 1 applies to certain outstanding amounts of levy. The Schedule:

(a) allows the Board to approve an arrangement under which approximately 80% of such an outstanding amount is to be paid by instalments within a specified period; and

(b) remits the remainder of the outstanding amount.

5  At the end of the Act

Add:

Schedule 1—Payment arrangements for historical arrears of levy

Note: See section 9A.

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Simplified outline of this Schedule

2  Definitions

Note: A number of expressions used in this Schedule are defined elsewhere in this Act, or in the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992, including the following:

(a) Board;

(b) Corporation;

(c) employer;

(d) industrial instrument;

(e) levy.

  In this Schedule:

base amount has the meaning given by clause 25 and subclause 26(2).

commencement day means the day this Schedule commences.

complies, with an unpaid levy payment arrangement, has the meaning given by clause 21.

covers: an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation covers:

 (a) the employee or employees specified in the arrangement under paragraph 9(3)(a); and

 (b) the period or periods, in relation to each employee covered by the arrangement, specified in the arrangement in relation to the employee under paragraph 9(3)(b); and

 (c) the wages the person paid to each employee covered by the arrangement during each period covered by the arrangement in relation to the employee.

draft payment arrangement means an arrangement a person gives to the Corporation under subclause 6(2).

fails to comply, with an unpaid levy payment arrangement, has the meaning given by subclause 28(2).

first due day has the meaning given by subclause 22(2).

long service leave payment, in relation to a person, means a payment made by an employer that was:

 (a) made to the person, or to the person’s legal personal representative; and

 (b) made:

 (i) for long service leave taken by the person during a period of employment with the employer; or

 (ii) in lieu of untaken long service leave, whether made during a period of employment with the employer or when (or after) the person ceased to be an employee of the employer; and

 (c) made in pursuance (or purported pursuance) of:

 (i) a law of a State or Territory; or

 (ii) an industrial instrument; or

 (iii) the National Employment Standards (within the meaning of the Fair Work Act 2009).

original amount, of unpaid levy, means the amount of the unpaid levy at the start of the unpaid levy calculation day.

outstanding unpaid levy amount has the meaning given by subclause 28(4).

relevant employment period has the meaning given by subclause 14(7).

relevant long service leave payment has the meaning given by subclause 10(5).

subclause 10(8) amount has the meaning given by subclause 10(8).

target amount, for a target day, has the meaning given by subclauses 22(1) and 29(2).

target day, under an unpaid levy payment arrangement, has the meaning given by subclause 22(1).

unpaid levy, in respect of the wages a person paid to an employee during a period, is levy:

 (a) that is payable by the person in respect of the wages; and

 (b) that was payable before the unpaid levy calculation day; and

 (c) that had not been paid immediately before the unpaid levy calculation day.

unpaid levy calculation day has the meaning given by clause 3.

unpaid levy payment arrangement means an arrangement a person gives to the Corporation under subclause 9(2).

3  Meaning of unpaid levy calculation day

 (1) For the purposes of this Schedule, the unpaid levy calculation day is:

 (a) the day (if any) determined under subclause (2); or

 (b) otherwise—the commencement day.

 (2) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine a day for the purposes of paragraph (1)(a). The day must occur after the commencement day.

 (3) A determination made under subclause (2) does not apply in relation to an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation under subclause 9(2) before the determination commences.

4  This Schedule does not apply to unpaid levy subject to court orders

  This Schedule does not apply in relation to an amount of unpaid levy if there is a court order in force requiring the payment of such an amount.

Part 2—Approval of unpaid levy payment arrangements

Division 1—Notices of intention to give unpaid levy payment arrangements

5  Notices of intention to give unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) A person may give to the Corporation a written notice indicating the person’s intention to give to the Corporation an unpaid levy payment arrangement.

 (2) The notice must be given before:

 (a) if paragraph (b) of this subclause does not apply:

 (i) the day (if any) determined under subclause (3); or

 (ii) if no day is determined—the day that is 2 months after the unpaid levy calculation day; or

 (b) if the Corporation is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for approving a later day—a later day approved by the Corporation at the written request of the person made before the end of:

 (i) the day mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subclause; or

 (ii) a day previously approved under this paragraph.

 (3) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine a day for the purposes of subparagraph (2)(a)(i). The day must occur more than 2 months after the unpaid levy calculation day.

 (4) To avoid doubt, the Minister may make a determination under subclause (3) even if the 2 months mentioned in subparagraph (2)(a)(ii) have ended.

 (5) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), a day must not be extended beyond the day that is 12 months after the unpaid levy calculation day.

Division 2—Draft payment arrangements

6  Draft payment arrangements

 (1) This clause applies if a person gives to the Corporation, in accordance with clause 5, a notice indicating the person’s intention to give to the Corporation an unpaid levy payment arrangement.

 (2) The person may give to the Corporation, for review under clause 8, an arrangement relating to payment of unpaid levy payable by the person.

When draft payment arrangements must be given

 (3) For the purposes of subclause 9(1), the person must give the draft payment arrangement to the Corporation before the end of the following period starting on the day after the day the person gives the notice to the Corporation under clause 5:

 (a) if paragraph (b) of this subclause does not apply:

 (i) the period (if any) determined under subclause (4); or

 (ii) if no period is determined—6 months;

 (b) a longer period approved by the Corporation at the written request of the person made before the end of:

 (i) the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subclause; or

 (ii) a period previously approved under this paragraph.

 (4) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine a period for the purposes of subparagraph (3)(a)(i). The period must be longer than 6 months.

 (5) The period must not be extended under paragraph (3)(b) for a total period of more than 3 months.

7  Form of draft payment arrangements

  For the purposes of subclause 9(1), a draft payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation under clause 6 must be in the form approved under clause 16 for the purposes of this clause.

Note: Strict compliance with the form is not required, and substantial compliance is sufficient (see section 25C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901).

8  Review by Corporation

 (1) This clause applies if a person:

 (a) gives a notice to the Corporation, in accordance with clause 5, indicating the person’s intention to give to the Corporation an unpaid levy payment arrangement; and

 (b) gives a draft payment arrangement to the Corporation under clause 6.

 (2) The Corporation must ensure that, within 2 months starting on the day after the day the Corporation receives the draft payment arrangement, an employee or consultant of the Corporation:

 (a) reviews the draft; and

 (b) consults with the person (whether orally, or in writing, or both).

 (3) Without limiting paragraph (2)(b), in the course of such consultation, the employee or consultant may offer the person:

 (a) advice about the way in which an amount of unpaid levy should be worked out so that, if the person gives an unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation, the arrangement will comply with clauses 10 and 11; and

 (b) suggestions about any of the following in relation to the person giving an unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation:

 (i) revisions that should be made to information included in the draft payment arrangement before the information is included in the unpaid levy payment arrangement;

 (ii) information that should be included in the unpaid levy payment arrangement.

 (4) Any advice or suggestions of an employee or consultant of the Corporation is offered without prejudice to any decision of the Board under clause 14 in relation to an unpaid levy payment arrangement given by the person to the Corporation.

Division 3—Unpaid levy payment arrangements

9  Unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) This clause applies if a person gives a draft payment arrangement to the Corporation in accordance with clauses 6 and 7.

 (2) The person may give to the Corporation, for approval under clause 14, an arrangement relating to payment of unpaid levy payable by the person.

 (3) The arrangement must specify:

 (a) one or more employees of the person; and

 (b) for each employee specified under paragraph (a) of this subclause—one or more periods.

Note: These are the employees and periods the arrangement covers.

 (4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(a), the arrangement must specify employees individually and not by reference to a class or classes of employees.

When unpaid levy payment arrangements must be given

 (5) For the purposes of paragraph 14(6)(a), the person must give the unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation before the end of the following period starting on the day after the day the person gives the draft payment arrangement to the Corporation:

 (a) if paragraph (b) of this subclause does not apply:

 (i) the period (if any) determined under subclause (6); or

 (ii) if no period is determined—5 months;

 (b) a longer period approved by the Corporation at the written request of the person made before the end of:

 (i) the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subclause; or

 (ii) a period previously approved under this paragraph.

 (6) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine a period for the purposes of subparagraph (5)(a)(i). The period must be longer than 5 months.

 (7) The period must not be extended under paragraph (5)(b) for a total period of more than 6 months.

10  Form and content of unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 14(6)(a), this clause sets out requirements in relation to an unpaid levy payment arrangement a person gives to the Corporation under clause 9.

Approved form

 (2) The arrangement must be in the form approved under clause 16 for the purposes of this subclause.

Unpaid levy and wages

 (3) The arrangement must:

 (a) specify the total subclause 10(8) amount in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement; and

 (b) include an audit report in accordance with clause 12; and

 (c) include such information (worked out on any assumptions the person chooses to make under paragraph 11(c)) about the wages and employees covered by the arrangement (including information about qualifying service or hours of work) as is required by the form.

Long service leave payments

 (4) If a relevant long service leave payment has been made in relation to employees covered by the arrangement, the arrangement may specify the payment, including doing all of the following:

 (a) specifying the amount of the payment;

 (b) specifying the employee to whom the payment relates;

 (c) proving the existence and amount of the payment;

 (d) including such other details as are required by the form.

 (5) A relevant long service leave payment, in relation to an employee covered by the arrangement, means a long service leave payment the person made:

 (a) at or after the time (worked out on the assumptions mentioned in paragraphs 11(a) and (b) and any assumptions the person chooses to make under paragraph 11(c)) at which unpaid levy in respect of any of the wages, covered by the arrangement, that the person paid to the employee first became payable; and

 (b) before the time the person gives the arrangement to the Corporation under clause 9.

 (6) If the arrangement specifies one or more long service leave payments under subclause (4) of this clause, the arrangement must:

 (a) for each employee to whom any of the specified long service leave payments relate:

 (i) specify the total amount of the specified long service leave payments that relate to the employee; and

 (ii) specify the total subclause 10(8) amount in respect of the wages, covered by the arrangement, the person paid to the employee; and

 (iii) specify the time (worked out on the assumptions mentioned in paragraphs 11(a) and (b) and any assumptions the person chooses to make under paragraph 11(c)) at which unpaid levy in respect of any of the wages, covered by the arrangement, that the person paid to the employee first became payable; and

 (b) specify the total amount of the specified long service leave payments.

Other matters

 (7) The arrangement must:

 (a) include any other relevant information required by the form; and

 (b) include any relevant documents or other evidence required by the form; and

 (c) otherwise comply with any requirements set out in the form.

Note 1: Strict compliance with the form is not required, and substantial compliance is sufficient (see section 25C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901).

Note 2: The Board may, with the agreement of the person, approve the arrangement as varied to correct minor or technical errors made in the completion of the approved form (see clause 15).

Meaning of subclause 10(8) amount

 (8) The subclause 10(8) amount in respect of wages is equal to what would be the original amount of unpaid levy in respect of the wages if the original amount of unpaid levy were worked out on:

 (a) the assumptions mentioned in paragraphs 11(a) and (b); and

 (b) any assumptions the person chooses to make under paragraph 11(c).

11  Assumptions

  For the purposes of specifying or including information in an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation:

 (a) the person must assume that, in this Act, “eligible wages” had, at all times before the unpaid levy calculation day, the meaning “eligible wages” has on the commencement day; and

 (b) the person must assume that:

 (i) paragraph 3B(1)(b) of this Act had never been enacted; and

 (ii) on the unpaid levy calculation day, the reference in subsection 3B(1) to the greater of the amounts mentioned in paragraph 3B(1)(a) and (b) is a reference to the amount referred to in paragraph 3B(1)(a); and

 (c) if the person does not have sufficient information to work out a matter required to be specified or included in relation to an employee covered by the arrangement—the person may, in working out the matter, make reasonable assumptions about:

 (i) the employment of the employee; and

 (ii) the employment of a class of employees of which the employee was a member.

12  Audit reports

  For the purposes of paragraph 10(3)(b), an unpaid levy payment arrangement must include a report that:

 (a) is prepared by an auditor; and

 (b) states that, in the opinion of the auditor, the amount specified in the arrangement under paragraph 10(3)(a) is correct; and

 (c) includes reasons for the opinion included in the report.

13  Further information

 (1) Within 30 days after a person gives an unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation under clause 9, the Board may, by written notice to the person, request the person to give the Corporation specified further information or documents in relation to the arrangement.

 (2) For the purposes of paragraphs 14(3)(b) and (6)(b), the person must comply with the notice before the end of:

 (a) a period no shorter than 30 days stated in the notice; or

 (b) a longer period approved by the Corporation at the written request of the person before the end of:

 (i) the period stated in the notice; or

 (ii) a period previously approved under this paragraph.

Division 4—Approval of unpaid levy payment arrangements

14  Board consideration of unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) This clause applies if a person gives to the Corporation under clause 9 an unpaid levy payment arrangement.

Decisions by the Board

 (2) Before the end of the period covered by subclause (3) of this clause, the Board must decide:

 (a) to approve the unpaid levy payment arrangement; or

 (b) to refuse to approve the arrangement.

 (3) For the purposes of subclause (2), the period covered by this subclause is 30 days starting on the day after:

 (a) if paragraph (b) of this subclause does not apply—the day the person gives the unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation; or

 (b) if the Board, by notice under clause 13, requests the person to give the Corporation specified further information or documents—the day the person is required to comply with the notice under that clause.

 (4) The Board must give the person written notice of a decision under subclause (2) of this clause.

 (5) A notice of a decision to refuse to approve the unpaid levy payment arrangement must include:

 (a) a statement of reasons for the decision; and

 (b) a statement that, subject to the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, an application may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of the Board’s decision.

Note: Clause 17 provides that an application may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of a decision of the Board to refuse to approve an unpaid levy payment arrangement.

Grounds for decisions

 (6) The Board must decide to approve the unpaid levy payment arrangement, unless the Board is satisfied on reasonable grounds that:

 (a) any of the requirements of clauses 9 to 12 are not satisfied in relation to the arrangement; or

 (b) if the Board has requested the person to give the Corporation specified further information or documents under clause 13—the person has failed to comply with the notice of the request in accordance with subclause 13(2); or

 (c) for any employee covered by the arrangement—were the arrangement to be approved, the Corporation would not have sufficient information to work out the long service leave entitlements under Part 5A of the Administration Act relating to a relevant employment period of the employee.

 (7) A period of employment of an employee covered by the arrangement is a relevant employment period if payment for the period of employment occurred during a period covered by the arrangement in relation to the employee.

15  Correction of minor or technical errors

 (1) This clause applies if a person gives an unpaid levy payment arrangement to the Corporation under clause 9.

 (2) The Board may, at the written application, or with the written consent, of the person:

 (a) approve the arrangement under clause 14 as varied to correct a minor or technical error; or

 (b) if the arrangement has been approved under clause 14—at any time afterwards vary the arrangement to correct a minor or technical error.

 (3) If the arrangement is varied under subclause (2), the Corporation must give the person a copy of the arrangement as varied.

Division 5—Other matters

16  Approved forms

 (1) The Corporation must, by notifiable instrument:

 (a) approve a form for the purposes of clause 7; and

 (b) approve a form for the purposes of subclause 10(2).

 (2) An approved form must set out the effect of sections 137.1 and 137.2 of the Criminal Code (about giving false or misleading information or documents).

 (3) Without limiting subclause (1) of this clause, an approved form may require an arrangement to include any information that could be required to be included in a return under section 5 of this Act by a form approved under subsection 5(2A) of this Act (disregarding paragraph 19(4)(a) of this Schedule).

17  Review by Administrative Review Tribunal

  An application may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of the following decisions by the Board or the Corporation:

 (aa) to refuse to approve a later day to give a notice of intention, under paragraph 5(2)(b);

 (a) to refuse to approve a longer period to give a draft payment arrangement, under paragraph 6(3)(b);

 (b) to refuse to approve a longer period to give an unpaid levy payment arrangement, under paragraph 9(5)(b);

 (c) to refuse to approve a longer period to comply with a notice, under paragraph 13(2)(b);

 (d) to refuse to approve an unpaid levy payment arrangement, under paragraph 14(2)(b).

18  This Part does not affect unpaid levy

  To avoid doubt, nothing in this Part affects:

 (a) a person’s liability to pay unpaid levy; or

 (b) the amount of unpaid levy payable by a person.

Note: If and when a person complies with an approved unpaid levy payment arrangement, clause 27 remits the unpaid levy that remains payable at that time.

Part 3—Implementation of approved unpaid levy payment arrangements

Division 1—Application of this Act in relation to unpaid levy in respect of wages covered by approved arrangements

19  Application of this Act—approved unpaid levy payment arrangements

Application of this clause

 (1) This clause starts to apply when the Board approves, under clause 14, an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation.

Collection of unpaid levy

 (2) The following provisions of this Act do not apply in relation to unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement:

 (a) section 6 (extension of time and payment by instalments);

 (b) section 7 (additional levy);

 (c) subsection 9(2) (power to sue for and recover amounts of levy and additional levy).

Note: However, if the person fails to comply with the arrangement, these provisions would apply in relation to the outstanding unpaid levy amount (see clause 28).

 (3) If, immediately before the day the Board approves the unpaid levy payment arrangement, an arrangement (the section 6 arrangement) was in effect under section 6 of this Act for an extension of time for the person:

 (a) to pay an amount of levy; or

 (b) to pay an amount of levy by instalments;

the section 6 arrangement ceases to have effect to the extent it relates to unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the unpaid levy payment arrangement.

Reporting

 (4) The following provisions of this Act do not apply, and are taken never to have applied, in relation to the employment of an employee covered by the arrangement in a relevant employment period:

 (a) section 5 (returns by employers);

 (b) section 10 (requirement to give report to Corporation).

Note: Levy is generally payable under section 4 of this Act at the end of a period after the end of a month in respect of which a monthly return is required under section 5 of this Act.

 However, this subclause provides that section 5 of this Act does not apply (and is taken never to have applied) in relation to unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement. As a result, section 4 of this Act also does not apply (and is taken never to have applied) in relation to such unpaid levy.

Division 2—Payment of unpaid levy in instalments and remission

Subdivision A—Payment of unpaid levy in instalments

20  Application of this Subdivision

  This Subdivision applies if the Board approves under clause 14 an unpaid levy payment arrangement a person gives to the Corporation.

21  Complying with unpaid levy payment arrangements

 (1) Subject to subclause (3), the person complies with the arrangement as soon as subclause (2) begins to apply.

 (2) This subclause applies if and when the target amount for the sixth target day under the arrangement has been paid.

Note: For the purposes of this subclause and subclause (3), payments may be made at any time on or before a target day. The person complies with the arrangement as soon as the target amount for the sixth target day has been paid, provided that it is paid by the end of the sixth target day. This may be at any time after approval of the arrangement and may be before the sixth target day.

 (3) However, the person never complies with the arrangement if:

 (a) a target day under the arrangement occurs before the day on which subclause (2) begins to apply; and

 (b) at the end of that target day, the target amount for that target day has not been paid.

 (4) To avoid doubt, for the purposes of this clause, it is not necessary for the person to pay more than the target amount for the sixth target day under the arrangement.

22  Meaning of target day and target amount

 (1) Subject to subclause 24(4) (postponement of target days), each day specified in column 1 of the following table is a target day under the arrangement. The target amount, for a target day, is the amount, of unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement, that is equal to the amount specified in column 2 of the relevant item.

 (2) The first due day is the day that is:

 (a) unless paragraph (b) applies—30 days after the day the Board approves the unpaid levy payment arrangement under clause 14; or

 (b) if the person is, at the time the Board approves the unpaid levy payment arrangement under clause 14, a small business employer within the meaning of the Fair Work Act 2009—6 months after the day of the approval.

23  Applications to postpone target days

 (1) This clause applies to a target day specified in an item of the table in subclause 22(1).

 (2) The person may make a written application to the Corporation to postpone the target day to another specified day.

 (3) The specified day must be a day occurring no later than 6 months after the day (the original target day) specified in the table.

 (4) The application must be given to the Corporation no later than 2 months before the original target day.

 (5) No more than one application may be made under this clause in relation to any particular target day.

24  Decisions to postpone target days

Decisions to postpone target days

 (1) Within 30 days after an application is made under clause 23 in relation to a target day, the Board may, by written notice to the person:

 (a) postpone the target day to:

 (i) the later day applied for; or

 (ii) a later day that is earlier than that applied for; or

 (b) refuse to postpone the target day.

 (2) A notice of a decision under subparagraph (1)(a)(ii) or paragraph (1)(b) of this clause must include:

 (a) a statement of reasons for the decision; and

 (b) a statement that, subject to the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, an application may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of the Board’s decision.

Grounds for decision

 (3) The Board may postpone the target day to a later day under subclause (1) of this clause only if the Board is reasonably satisfied that:

 (a) the application is made in accordance with clause 23; and

 (b) either:

 (i) the person would experience significant financial hardship if the postponement were not made; or

 (ii) exceptional circumstances exist that justify the postponement.

Effect of decisions to postpone target days

 (4) If the Board postpones the target day to a later day, this Schedule (other than clause 23 and this clause) have effect as if the reference in column 1 of the table in subclause 22(1) to the original target day were a reference to the later day.

Review by Administrative Review Tribunal

 (5) An application may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of the following decisions by the Board:

 (a) to postpone a target day under an unpaid levy payment arrangement to a day that is earlier than that applied for, under subparagraph (1)(a)(ii);

 (b) to refuse to postpone a target day under an unpaid levy payment arrangement, under paragraph (1)(b).

 (6) If an application to the Administrative Review Tribunal for the review of a decision of the Board under subparagraph (1)(a)(ii) or paragraph (1)(b) of this clause is made under the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, clause 28 (failure to comply with arrangement) of this Schedule does not apply in relation to the unpaid levy payment arrangement before:

 (a) if the application is withdrawn or dismissed—the time when the application is withdrawn or dismissed; or

 (b) otherwise—the following time occurring after the Administrative Review Tribunal makes a decision in relation to the application under section 105 of that Act:

 (i) if a relevant appeal is made—the later of the end of the appeal period and the completion of the relevant appeal;

 (ii) otherwise—the end of the appeal period.

 (7) For the purposes of subclause (6) of this clause:

 (a) it does not matter whether or not an order has been made under section 32 of the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 staying or otherwise affecting the operation of the decision of the Board; and

 (b) completion, end of the appeal period and relevant appeal have the meaning given by subsection 107(7) of that Act.

25  Meaning of base amount

  The base amount under the arrangement is equal to the amount specified in the arrangement under paragraph 10(3)(a).

Note: The base amount is reduced by any long service leave payments specified in the arrangement (see subclause 26(2)).

26  Long service leave payments

 (1) This clause applies if the arrangement specifies one or more long service leave payments under subclause 10(4).

 (2) Despite clause 25, the base amount under the arrangement is equal to the amount mentioned in clause 25, less the amount specified in the arrangement under paragraph 10(6)(b).

Note: Paragraph 10(6)(b) requires the arrangement to specify the total amount of the long service leave payments specified in the arrangement.

Per‑employee effect of payment limited to per‑employee amount of unpaid levy

 (3) Subclause (4) of this clause applies if the amount specified in the arrangement under subparagraph 10(6)(a)(i) in relation to an employee is greater than the amount specified in the arrangement under subparagraph 10(6)(a)(ii) in relation to the employee.

Note Subparagraph 10(6)(a)(i) requires the arrangement to specify the total amount of the long service leave payments specified in the arrangement that relate to the employee. Subparagraph 10(6)(a)(ii) requires the arrangement to specify the total subclause 10(8) amount in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement in respect of the employee.

 (4) For the purposes of subclause (2) of this clause, the amount specified in the arrangement under paragraph 10(6)(b) is taken to be reduced by the difference between the amounts mentioned in subclause (3) of this clause.

Subdivision B—Remission of remaining unpaid levy on complying with arrangements

27  Remission of remaining unpaid levy on complying with arrangements

  If and when a person complies with an unpaid levy payment arrangement, the unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement that remains payable by the person at that time is remitted in full.

Division 3—Failure to comply with arrangements

28  Failure to comply with arrangements

Application of this clause

 (1) This clause applies if:

 (a) under clause 14, the Board approves an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation; and

 (b) the person fails to comply with the arrangement.

Note: However, if an application has been made to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review of a decision under subparagraph 24(1)(a)(ii) or paragraph 24(1)(b), this clause does not apply before the time mentioned in subclause 24(6).

 (2) The person fails to comply with the arrangement at the end of the first target day (if any), under the arrangement, at which the total amount of unpaid levy, in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement, that has been paid is less than the target amount for the target day.

Due date for payment of outstanding unpaid levy amount

 (3) Subject to section 6 of this Act, the outstanding unpaid levy amount is payable on the day after the person first fails to comply with the arrangement.

Note 1: Additional levy is payable in relation to any part of the outstanding unpaid levy amount that remains unpaid after the time when it becomes payable (see section 7 of this Act).

Note 2: Section 6 of this Act provides for the extension of time for payment of an amount of levy or additional levy, and for payment of such an amount by instalments. For the application of section 6 of this Act to the outstanding unpaid levy amount, see paragraph (5)(a) of this clause.

 (4) The outstanding unpaid levy amount is the total amount of unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement that remains payable at the time the person fails to comply with the arrangement.

Effect of failure to comply with arrangements

 (5) Despite subclause 19(2) of this Schedule, when the person fails to comply with the unpaid levy payment arrangement:

 (a) section 6 of this Act (extension of time and payment by instalments) starts to apply in relation to the outstanding unpaid levy amount; and

 (b) section 7 of this Act (additional levy) starts to apply in relation to the outstanding unpaid levy amount; and

 (c) subsection 9(2) of this Act (recovery of levy or additional levy) starts to apply in relation to the outstanding unpaid levy amount, and any amount of additional levy payable in relation to that amount because of paragraph (b) of this subclause.

 (6) To avoid doubt, for the purposes of section 7 and subsection 9(2) of this Act, as they apply because of subclause (5) of this clause, it is irrelevant whether any additional levy was payable under section 7 of this Act before the Board approved the unpaid levy payment arrangement.

Division 4—Other matters

29  Unpaid levy payment arrangements do not require payment of more than total original amount of unpaid levy

 (1) Subclause (2) applies if:

 (a) under clause 14, the Board approves an unpaid levy payment arrangement that a person gives to the Corporation; and

 (b) the target amount, for a target day under the arrangement, is greater than the total original amount of unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement.

Note: This situation may arise due to errors in the arrangement or because of the assumptions mentioned in clause 11.

 (2) Despite subclause 22(1), the target amount, for the target day, is the total original amount of unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement.

 (3) To avoid doubt, clause 11 does not affect how the total original amount of unpaid levy in respect of the wages covered by the arrangement is worked out for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) or subclause (2) of this clause.

Note: For reimbursements of overpayments of levy, see section 47 of the Administration Act.

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 26 November 2025

Senate on 22 June 2026]