23rd Mar 2020, 4:45 PM – Representatives Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Bill 2020 and related bills - Second Reading - Keep second reading motion unchanged

The majority voted in favour of keeping the usual second reading motion unchanged. The usual second reading motion is "that the bills be read for a second time", which is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. The proposal to change the usual text and replace it with the amendment below was introduced by Rankin MP Jim Chalmers (Labor). The purpose of the amendment was to draw attention to the starting date of the measures included in the bill (see below).

What do these bills do?

These bills were introduced to "implement the Government’s economic response to the spread of the Coronavirus, which the Government announced between 12 and 22 March 2020." You can find a copy of the bills' text on the bills' homepages by clicking on the bill hyperlinks provided on this page (each bill has its own hyperlink), or read about the Government's intentions with the bill on the explanatory memorandum. Due to the speed with which the bills went through parliament, there is currently no bills digest.

Amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give these bills a second reading, the House calls on the Government to more quickly implement the measures it is proposing, noting that under the current proposal:

(1) the Coronavirus supplement will not begin until 27 April 2020;

(2) expanded access to the Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance won't begin until 27 April 2020;

(3) most people won't receive the first payment to households until April 2020 or the second payment until July 2020;

(4) pensioners won't see a boost in their income due to the change in deeming rates until 1 May 2020; and

(5) employers won't receive a cash flow boost until 28 April 2020".