Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2025; Second Reading

Spender supported the bill but argued it was modest and called for greater ambition in areas such as housing, industrial relations, and the EPBC Act. Spender moved an amendment to address the case of Major Caitlin Pedel, a defence member denied paid parental leave due to overseas posting, which Services Australia contested in court. Spender criticised the government for acting as a monopoly service provider and urged the introduction of hard targets for regulatory reform. Spender requested the government support her amendment or provide a timeframe for delivering similar changes.

Ng supported the bill, emphasising that it builds trust in government by making services reliable, fair, and accessible. Ng detailed reforms including the automatic sharing of bank details between Centrelink and Medicare, and the reinstatement of seniors health cards for older Australians returning from overseas travel. Ng highlighted amendments to the Australian Citizenship Act to enable secure digital proof of citizenship and updates to the Healthcare Identifiers Act to improve data standards. Ng also noted that the period allowed for diagnostic imaging referrals was doubled, extending from seven to 14 days, to reduce burden on patients and GPs.

Husic supported the bill, noting that red tape reduction requires ongoing effort and investment in modernising IT systems. Husic discussed the importance of demand flexibility measures in the bill to manage the energy impact of new data centres supporting artificial intelligence. Husic warned that rapid data centre development could strain energy supplies and skilled labour availability, particularly during the renewable energy transition. Husic argued that the bill provides a balanced approach to regulating these emerging technologies while maintaining economic growth.

Jordan-Baird supported the bill as a step towards making government work for Australians, citing the reduction of compliance costs and streamlining of services. Jordan-Baird highlighted the 'tell us once' approach to reduce stress for constituents dealing with financial hardship or family breakdowns. Jordan-Baird noted the bill's provisions for modernising document requirements, such as allowing digital identity verification for marriage celebrants. Jordan-Baird also mentioned improvements to NBN mapping transparency and fuel supply disruption responses, while contrasting current reforms with previous government failures like Robodebt.

Clutterham supported the bill, linking it to the government's strong fiscal position and AAA credit rating. Clutterham outlined the four themes of the bill: supporting a 'tell us once' approach, improving access to services, reducing regulatory burden, and increasing government efficiency. Clutterham detailed how the bill simplifies information sharing within Services Australia for Centrelink, Medicare, and child support programs. Clutterham also highlighted schedule 4 amendments that repeal redundant legislation and update rules for fuel security monitoring and renewable energy appliance purchases.

Soon supported the bill as a key step in improving Australia's regulatory environment and boosting productivity. Soon emphasised the 'tell us once' reforms to prevent Australians from repeatedly providing documentation to Services Australia. Soon noted the bill's provision to allow Medicare to access Centrelink payment details, facilitating the distribution of owed benefits. Soon also highlighted changes enabling digital identity solutions for marriage celebrants and improved information sharing between petroleum and environmental regulators. Soon concluded by citing the government's economic achievements, including wage growth and budget surpluses.

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Holzberger supported the bill, arguing that excessive regulation constrains productivity and frustrates individuals and businesses. Holzberger described the legislation as a whole-of-government approach that amends 28 acts and affects 13 agencies to remove superfluous rules. Holzberger highlighted the 'tell us once' system, which enables data provided to a single agency to be accessed by others, reducing the need for repeated paperwork. Holzberger noted that this would help resolve issues such as unpaid Medicare benefits owed to nearly one million Australians. Holzberger also pointed to improvements in healthcare, including doubled timeframes for diagnostic imaging referrals, and benefits for marriage celebrants and offshore gas projects.

Stanley supported the bill as a tangible outcome of the Economic Reform Roundtable, noting it contains 60 measures to amend 28 acts and repeal two. Stanley emphasised the 'tell us once' approach within Services Australia, which reduces the need for citizens to provide the same information repeatedly. Stanley highlighted that the bill enables digital evidence of citizenship and improves healthcare identifier tracking for longitudinal data. Stanley noted that the legislation would help release $270 million in unpaid Medicare benefits to approximately 980,000 Australians. Additionally, she mentioned reforms to childcare subsidy language, fuel security provisions, and greenhouse energy standards.