7th Feb 2024, 5:28 PM – Representatives Attorney-General's Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2023 - Second reading - Agree with the bill's main idea

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of a motion to agree with the main idea of the bill.

What does this bill do?

According to the bill digest (which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library):

The purpose of the Attorney-General’s Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2023 is to make a range of amendments to update and clarify the intended operation of legislation administered by the Attorney-General. It includes:

• amendments to confer jurisdiction on the Federal Court of Australia to hear and determine a range of indictable and summary corporate crime offences within the regulatory remit of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission

• amendments to the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 to allow the Federal Court to enter into a formal arrangement with a state or territory to use its established jury preparation processes. This will provide an additional option for preparing a jury panel

• minor and technical amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 to improve accessibility for marrying couples and provide greater clarity of meaning

• repeal of section 213A of the Native Title Act 1993 to abolish the Native Title Respondents Scheme and Native Title Officer Funding Scheme.

• The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee has reported on the Bill. The Committee recommended:

• further guidance on the proposed reforms to the Federal Court’s criminal jurisdiction and jury selection process be provided in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill

• the Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961 for authorised celebrants be amended to provide information on the proposed requirement for celebrants to meet separately with each party to a proposed marriage and

• that the Bill be passed.

• Views of stakeholders expressed in submissions to the Senate Committee inquiry are included in the Bills Digest.