GST Point-in-Time Service Updates

The GST Point-in-Time Service has been updated to include the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Act 2019 (Cth) (Act 115 of 2019), the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (New Commissioner Functions) Act 2019 (Cth) (Act 116 of 2019) ,the Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Act 2019 (Cth) (Act 120 of 2019), the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian-made Complementary Medicines) Regulations 2019 (Cth) and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (Cth).

Act 115 of 2019

The Act aims to implement part of the Government’s policies to ensure well-functioning electricity markets that deliver benefits for consumers and small businesses.

Schedule 1 to the Act implements a comprehensive legislative framework consisting of new prohibitions and remedies tailored to conduct in electricity markets.

Schedule 2 to the Act provides the Australian Energy Regulator with the necessary powers required for its functions to set a default market offer and reference bill, including information gathering powers, making necessary legislative instruments, and information sharing with government agencies.

Act 116 of 2019

The purpose of the Act is to transfer additional aged care regulatory functions of the Secretary of the Department of Health to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner. This reform completes the two-year agenda to strengthen and enhance aged care regulation to protect and assure the quality of care provided to consumers of Australian Government funded aged care. It delivers on the intention as set out in the objects of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018.    

Act 120 of 2019

The Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Act 2019 contains a package of measures designed to minimise the regulatory burden on the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors, and to simplify regulation by removing redundant or otherwise unnecessary provisions.
These include:

• removing duplicative reporting requirements for licensees, publishers and controllers to notify the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of certain changes in control of regulated media assets
• providing a consistent classification arrangement for all television programs, including films
• providing greater flexibility to the ACMA in choosing the appropriate publication method for notices in respect of program standards or standards relating to datacasting
• reforming the statutory information collection powers of the ACMA and the ACCC, and their reporting obligations.

Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian-made Complementary Medicines) Regulations 2019 

These regulations amend the Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 to provide examples of processes that substantially transform complementary medicines in Australia.

Treasury Laws Amendment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019

The purpose of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) is to make minor and technical amendments to regulations in the Treasury portfolio, including tax laws, corporations laws, superannuation laws and credit laws. The amendments are part of the Government’s commitment to the care and maintenance of Treasury portfolio legislation.
The Regulations amend various Treasury portfolio regulations to make minor and technical changes that correct typographical errors and unintended outcomes, increase thresholds and repeal inoperative provisions. These changes ensure that the amended regulations operate in the way intended.

These amendments have been updated in the Point-in-Time GST Service current to 13 January 2020. (NB: Subscription required).

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