Moroney Sue: Immigration Advisers Licensing Bill — In Committee 
Moroney Sue: Immigration Advisers Licensing Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:638;Page:8666] 
SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
: 
 Thank you Madam Chairperson for the opportunity to speak to Part 2 of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Bill. Of course we have already talked about setting up the processes that underline the Immigration Advisers Licensing Bill. It sets up a regulatory framework so that we can get some standards into the sector. I want to move on to the issue of the levies that the Opposition members seem so concerned about. It certainly was an issue that was canvassed during the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee hearing process when we heard the submissions. 
David Bennett 
: No it wasn’t! 
SUE MORONEY 
: I recall that the member who is trying his best to interject David Bennett actually asked quite specific questions of the officials about how the levies would be set up so it should be no surprise to the members of the Opposition. They were part of the process and they were asking all of the same questions that Government members were. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Look nobody can hear when interjections are going across the Chamber like that. It is reasonable for there to be one or two interjections but the member has been warned. 
SUE MORONEY 
: The question of levies was well canvassed and how the setting up of the tribunal and the registrar would require cost recovery because that is how all professional groups operate. It is hard to imagine why the members of the Opposition are surprised that just like any other legislation that sets up standards regulations competency and all those sorts of issues there is a cost recovery basis that is expected because of the professional upholding of those provisions. 
This legislation of course means that immigration advisers will have to meet competency standards and be deemed fit to practise. They will be subject to complaints and disciplinary procedures just as other groups are; just like midwives nurses and all of those groups I am used to advocating for and representing. They all have their own processes just like this and yes they all have levies on a cost recovery basis to ensure that those processes can be robust that those processes can operate and that those processes can operate on an independent basis. So those issues were well canvassed in the select committee during that process. In fact the member opposite David Bennett asked quite specific questions around that issue because he was obviously concerned—as many of the select committee members were—about the cost and making sure that it was appropriate and affordable. 
Of course one of the other issues we were concerned about in the select committee was the implementation time frame. I think we had agreement on this but sometimes when we come to the Committee stage of these bills Opposition members suddenly find that they have a different position on the things we thought we had agreement on. However we will test this one out as well. The select committee recommended that the implementation time frame be reduced from 5 years to 3 years. So we do have agreement on that one. The time frame was reduced from 5 years to 3 years because we determined that this was such an important issue. As I said previously this legislation has come before Parliament not a moment too soon and we wanted to ensure that the time frame of the implementation was as speedy as possible. 
In addressing Part 2 I want to make sure that listeners understand that what we are talking about is ensuring the independence of people carrying out functions under the Act. That is of vital importance. What we must make sure of in setting up this legislation—this much-needed legislation—is that the processes are transparent and there is accountability; the independence of those people carrying out those functions is a vital part of ensuring that. The legislation also sets up the register of licensed immigration advisers just like for example nurses have a register and they become registered nurses. 
Part 2 also sets up the process for an appeal to be taken against the decisions of the registrar and the tribunal. Again that is about accountability transparency and fairness in the system. Part 2 goes on to talk about a whole range of miscellaneous matters such as the annual report on the performance of the tribunal’s functions and the power of the registrar to delegate. These are all very important details in making sure that we actually do get this right. This legislation as I said before is not a minute too soon and we need to get the detail right in it.