Senator FIFIELD (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Social Services) (15:35): I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard. The statement read as follows— STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2015 AUTUMN SITTINGS PUBLIC GOVERNANCE AND RESOURCES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (No. 1) 2015 Purpose of the Bill The Bill would support the ongoing implementation of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) which commenced on 1 July 2014. For example, the Bill would make: technical amendments to further improve the operation of the PGPA Act, including a provision to support the administration of GST obligations of non-corporate Commonwealth entities; amendments to provisions within the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2014 (PGPA (C&T) Act)that would streamline transitional arrangements supporting the implementation of the PGPA Act; amendments to the enabling legislation of Commonwealth entities to harmonise with the PGPA Act; and amendments to improve and clarify the governance and resource management arrangements of the enabling legislation of Commonwealth entities that have been identified during consultation. Reasons for Urgency A number of amendments contained in the Bill are required to be in place for the new financial year, commencing 1 July 2015. There are no administrative alternatives to implement the effect of these amendments and as a result, there would be several adverse results if the Bill is not passed by 1 July 2015. For example, the Bill would amend the: PGPA Act to provide ongoing legislative authority for GST arrangements that support the management of GST by non-corporate Commonwealth entities, such as Departments of State. These arrangements must be in place before 1 July 2015.Without this amendment, GST inclusive payments made by non-corporate Commonwealth entities may fail to be sufficiently supported by appropriations, and in some cases entities may be unable to fully fund payments to suppliers and cover remissions to the ATO. As part of the PGPA (C&T) Act, transitional provisions preserved GST arrangements under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 until 30 June 2015; and enabling legislation of four entities, the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), the Climate Change Authority (CCA) and the Reserve Bank of Australia, to address their currently sub-optimal legal structures. These structures adversely impact their operations, to differing degrees. The structures of the four entities have been addressed in a transitional rule, which will lapse on 30 June 2015. Without a permanent solution in legislation, CCA and CER would revert to being corporate entities, impacting on how they currently operate on a day to day basis, and how they manage their legal obligations and reporting requirements. The MDBA Chief Executive would be unable to manage the day to day administration of the entity in their own right, and members of the Reserve Bank Board would not be able to disclose material personal interests in an efficient manner.