Senator JACINTA COLLINS (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) (15:38): 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 various bills relating to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, as set out in the list circulated in the chamber, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings. The list read as follows— National Disability Insurance Scheme Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 DisabilityCare Australia Fund Bill 2013 Medicare Levy Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Fringe Benefits Tax Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Income Tax Rates Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Superannuation (Excess Concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Superannuation (Excess Non-concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Superannuation (Excess Untaxed Roll-over Amounts Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Income Tax (TFN Withholding Tax (ESS)) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Income Tax (First Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Family Trust Distribution Tax (Primary Liability) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 1) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 2) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill 2013 I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The statements read as follows— STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2013 WINTER SITTINGS National Disability Insurance Scheme Legislation Amendment Bill Purpose of the Bill This bill makes minor amendments to the new legislation for the National Disability Insurance Scheme to clarify the policy intention in relevant provisions and to address minor anomalies and technical errors. Reasons for Urgency Passage in the 2013 Winter sittings is necessary, ready for implementation of the first stage of the National Disability Insurance Scheme from July 2013. STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2013 WINTER SITTINGS Disability C are Australia Fund Bill Purpose of the Bill The purpose of this bill is to establish the DisabilityCare Australia Fund (the Fund). The Fund is to be established for holding and investing the additional Medicare levy proceeds for the purpose of reimbursing the Commonwealth and States for expenditure under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The Fund will be managed by the Future Fund Board of Guardians (the Board). The Board will only be able to invest in financial assets in line with the arrangements for the Nation-building Funds. The bill will also provide the opportunity to include interim matters to enable the NDIS to commence from 1 July 2013, through creation of a transitional special account to manage State Government funds until the Board oversighting the National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency is established. The transitional special account should also be credited with the Commonwealth's contribution for 2013-14 which will be appropriated to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. This would provide assurance to State Governments that the Commonwealth's contribution will only be spent on the NDIS. Reasons for Urgency This bill requires passage in the 2013 Winter sitting to provide certainty to the disability sector in Australia that the NDIS will be funded in a transparent manner and that those funds allocated will be used solely for the purpose of funding the NDIS. STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2013 WINTER SITTINGS Medicare Levy Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Fringe Benefits Tax Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Income Tax Rates Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Superannuation (Excess Concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Superannuation (Excess Non-concessional Contributions Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Superannuation (Excess Untaxed Roll-over Amounts Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Income Tax (TFN Withholding Tax (ESS)) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Income Tax (First Home Saver Accounts Misuse Tax) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Family Trust Distribution Tax (Primary Liability) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 1) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Taxation (Trustee Beneficiary Non-disclosure Tax) (No. 2) Amendment (DisabilityCare Australia) Bill Purpose of the Bills These bills will: increase the rate of the Medicare levy from 1.5 per cent to 2.0 per cent; and make consequential changes to other tax rates to reflect changes to the Medicare levy. Reasons for Urgency The measure requires prompt passage in order to provide security in relation to funding of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and to allow the employers, taxpayers and the Australian Taxation Office sufficient time to make necessary system changes in preparation for an increase in the Medicare levy rate.