Cullen Michael: Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and  Validation) Bill (No 2) — First Reading 
Cullen Michael: Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and  Validation) Bill (No 2) — First Reading 
[Volume:635;Page:6374] 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Leader of the House) 
: 
 I move  
That the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill (No 2) be now read a first time. 
 At the conclusion of the first reading debate I will move that the bill be referred to the Regulations Review Committee with an instruction that the bill be finally reported back by 4 December 2006. 
This is a routine annual bill to confirm and validate items of subordinate legislation that in accordance with the confirmation and validation provisions in the Acts under which the various instruments are made lapse at stated times unless earlier confirmed or validated by Acts of Parliament. This year the bill provides for Parliament to validate and confirm 18 Orders in Council made under eight Acts. To avoid the subordinate legislation lapsing this bill must be enacted before the end of 2006. The 4 December report-back date will allow time for the select committee to receive explanations on the contents of the bill from the departments that administer the various orders and regulations. I am sure that under Dr Worth’s excellent guidance the committee will deal expeditiously with the bill. 
Two of the 18 orders apply movements in the consumer price index to the rates of social security benefits New Zealand superannuation and war pensions. 
Five orders are named under the Customs and Excise Act 1996. Three apply movements in the consumer price index to rates of excise and excise-equivalent duties on alcohol tobacco products and motor spirits. Two continue for a further 3 years the import and export prohibitions on toothfish. 
Two of the orders are made under the Tariff Act 1988. They introduce a new tariff concession and implement commitments on tariff reduction and removal in relation to the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement amongst Brunei Darussalam Chile Singapore and New Zealand. 
Six of the orders deal with commodity levies. Two replace similar orders relating to nashi Asian pears whose order expired in July 2005 and asparagus whose order expired in May 2006. Two relating to maize and arable crops replace one similar order that expired in July 2006 and one imposes a new levy in relation to navel oranges. These orders were voted on by the respective industry participants themselves. Each is payable to the industry organisation in order to finance activities of benefit to the industry. The sixth order concerning commodity levies extends for 5 years the existing order relating to Nelson-Marlborough dredge oysters that was due to expire in 2007. It was made at the request of the company to which the levy is payable and it finances the enhancement and management of the relevant fishery. 
Two of the orders impose biosecurity levies. One is to fund the increased cost of the primary risk assessment of imported goods by electronic screening. The other order replaces some costs prescribed under previous biosecurity regulations and funds increased monitoring and verification activities required in relation to sea containers. 
Finally one order increases certain rates of road-user charges under the Road User Charges Act 1977. I commend this bill to the House.