House of Representatives

Second Reading Speech

Mr Debus (Minister for Home Affairs)

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to introduce the second piece of Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement legislation.

The Customs Tariff Amendment (Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2008 contains amendments to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to implement part of the agreement by:

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providing duty-free access for certain goods and preferential rates of customs duty for other goods that are Chilean originating goods;

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phasing the preferential rates of customs duty for certain goods to zero by 2015; and

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creating a new Schedule 7 to the Tariff to accommodate those phasing rates of duty.

This bill, like the bill I have introduced together with this one, will complement the amendments contained in the Customs Amendment (Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2008.

With those very brief remarks, I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Lindsay) adjourned.