Bill
Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016
passed, as at 2018-12-10. Immigration and Border Protection portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Immigration and Border Protection
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2016-09-01
- second reading — 2016-09-01
- second reading — 2016-10-10
- second reading — 2016-10-10
- third reading — 2016-10-10
- introduced — 2016-10-10
- second reading — 2016-10-10
- second reading — 2017-10-16
- second reading — 2018-11-27
- committee — 2018-11-27
- committee — 2018-11-28
- third reading — 2018-11-28
- other — 2018-11-28
- passed — 2018-11-28
- royal assent — 2018-12-10
Divisions
- The majority voted to agree with the main idea of the [bill](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5688), which means they can now discuss the bill in more detail. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a [second time](https://www.peo.gov.au/learning/fact-sheets/making-a-law.html). ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd1617a/17bd021): > *The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 (the Bill) is to amend the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) (the Act) to introduce a sponsorship framework for the sponsored family visa program. The proposed changes will:* > * *separate sponsorship assessment from the visa application process* > * *require the approval of persons as family sponsors before any relevant visa applications are made* > * *impose statutory obligations on persons who are or were approved as family sponsors and provide for enforceable sanctions if such obligations are not satisfied* > * *allow the Minister to refuse a sponsorship application and cancel and/or bar a family sponsor where inappropriate use of the program or serious offences are detected, especially those involving violence and* > * *improve the sharing of personal information between parties to the application and the program more generally.* — 2018-11-27, Senate: affirmative, ayes 35, noes 8
- The majority voted in favour of [government amendments](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2018-11-27.212.2), which means they'll be included in the bill. Liberal Senator [Linda Reynolds](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/wa/linda_reynolds) (WA) [explains that](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2018-11-27.212.2): > "*On 21 June 2016, the government made a commitment to introduce a new sponsored temporary visa for parents of Australian children. This new visa arrangement will allow parents to visit their Australian children without imposing an additional burden on Australia's healthcare system. In order to implement this new sponsored visa, there needs to be an assessable sponsorship framework for family sponsored visas. The Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 will amend the Migration Act 1958 to introduce this framework. When the bill was first introduced, the framework was intended to apply to the partner program first and the rest of the family program later. The sponsorship arrangements for the new parent visa will now be introduced first. To ensure that the sponsorship framework covers the requirements for the new parent visa, as well as all family sponsored visas, the bill requires government amendments.* > *To ensure that the new parent visa does not place any additional burden on Australia's healthcare system, the Australian child will be a financial guarantor for their parents' health costs. This amendment will allow a legal bond arrangement for approved family sponsors so that the obligation of liability for outstanding public health costs can be enforceable by a relevant health service provider.*" ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd1617a/17bd021): > *The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 (the Bill) is to amend the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) (the Act) to intr — 2018-11-27, Senate: affirmative, ayes 29, noes 26
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2016-09-01.
This bill is part of a package that would set up a sponsorship system for family visas under the Migration Act.
The system would require sponsors to be assessed and approved, impose duties on them, and allow penalties and information sharing.
The explanatory memorandum describes the existing work visa sponsorship framework but does not specify the start date or all amendments.
- Creates a sponsorship framework for the family visa program.
- Requires assessment and approval of sponsors.
- Imposes obligations on sponsors with penalties for breaches.
Sponsors and applicants in the sponsored family visa program.
Sources
em
em supp
billhome
frl act