Bill
Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
passed, as at 2025-02-20. Climate Change and Energy portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Climate Change and Energy
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2025-02-05
- second reading — 2025-02-05
- other — 2025-02-11
- other — 2025-02-11
- second reading — 2025-02-11
- second reading — 2025-02-12
- committee — 2025-02-12
- third reading — 2025-02-12
- introduced — 2025-02-13
- second reading — 2025-02-13
- second reading — 2025-02-13
- second reading — 2025-02-13
- third reading — 2025-02-13
- passed — 2025-02-13
- royal assent — 2025-02-20
Divisions
- The majority voted against a motion: > *That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the [Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7306), having earlier been referred to the Federation Chamber by way of a programming declaration, being returned to the House immediately, and all debate occurring in this Chamber.* Standing and sessional orders are the usual procedural rules of parliament. — 2025-02-11, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 58, noes 81
- Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 - Consideration in Detail - Enshrine target in law — 2025-02-12, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 86, noes 51
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/28687/&sid=0000) to agree with the bill as amended. This means they can now decide on whether to pass it in the House of Representatives. ### What does the bill do? According to the [explanatory memorandum](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr7306_ems_f12c21da-84b6-4f80-af9f-84ae492d3812%22;rec=0) (which is a document that is prepared by the party introducing the bill): > *The Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (the Bill ) amends the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 (Cth) (the OEI Act ) to extend the application of amendments provided for in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Amendment (Overlapping Applications) Regulations 2024 (the Amendment Regulations ) to apply to feasibility licence applications received prior to the commencement of the Amendment Regulations.* > > *The effect of the amendments in the Bill is for the regulatory parameters set out in the Amendment Regulations to apply consistently and fairly to all feasibility licence applications submitted to the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar (the Registrar ) in response to an invitation to apply for feasibility licences for a declared area under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure licensing scheme (OEI licensing scheme).* — 2025-02-12, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 86, noes 51
- The majority voted in favour of paragraph (a)(i) of [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2025-02-13.21.1) as moved by Queensland Senator [Larissa Waters](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/larissa_waters) (Greens), which means it succeeded. ### Motion text > *That—* > > *(a) the questions on all remaining stages of the following bills be put at 1 pm:* > >> *(i) Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, and* — 2025-02-13, Senate: affirmative, ayes 33, noes 30
- The majority voted against an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2025-02-13.34.1) moved by Tasmanian Senator [Jonathon Duniam](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/tasmania/jonathon_duniam) (Liberal) to the motion on the Selection of Bills Committee report. This means the amendment failed. ### Amendment text > *At the end of the motion, add "and the [Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7306) be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 17 April 2025".* — 2025-02-13, Senate: negative, ayes 28, noes 35
- The majority voted against an [opposition amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2025-02-13.73.1), which means it failed. The amendment would have added the text below to the usual second reading motion, which is "*that the bill be read a second time*" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). ### Amendment text > *Omit all words after "That:, substitute "the Senate notes that:* > >> *(a) the bill is specifically designed to make electricity more expensive for Australian families;* >> >> *(b) Australian families have already seen their electricity prices increase by $1,000 under the Albanese Government;* >> >> *(c) Prime Minister Albanese told Australians 97 times before the election that their electricity bills would fall by $275 a year, but has instead delivered price increases; and* >> >> *(d) a Labor-Greens minority government would introduce super-charged nature positive laws to make electricity even more expensive".* — 2025-02-13, Senate: negative, ayes 30, noes 34
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2025-02-13.75.1) to agree with the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of reading the bill a second time. This means they can now discuss it in more detail. ### What does this bill do? According to the [explanatory memorandum](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr7306_ems_52653f2d-51c4-47b3-9317-b6d9bc25fd22%22;rec=0), which is a political document prepared by the party introducing the bill: > *The Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (the Bill) amends the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 (Cth) (the OEI Act) to extend the application of amendments provided for in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Amendment (Overlapping Applications) Regulations 2024 (the Amendment Regulations) to apply to feasibility licence applications received prior to the commencement of the Amendment Regulations.* > > *The effect of the amendments in the Bill is for the regulatory parameters set out in the Amendment Regulations to apply consistently and fairly to all feasibility licence applications submitted to the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar (the Registrar) in response to an invitation to apply for feasibility licences for a declared area under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure licensing scheme (OEI licensing scheme).* > > *The Bill also amends the Climate Change Act 2022 to require that the Commonwealth must administer the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) program, and deliver at least 23 gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity, and at least 9 gigawatts of clean dispatchable energy capacity by the end of 2030. The Bill further provides that, if the Climate Change Authority provides advice to inform the Annual Climate Change Statement indicating a material risk to achieving the capacity outcomes, the Minister is — 2025-02-13, Senate: affirmative, ayes 37, noes 30
- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2025-02-13.77.1) to pass the bill in the Senate. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of reading the bill a third time. As the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives, this vote means it can now become law. ### What does this bill do? According to the [explanatory memorandum](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr7306_ems_52653f2d-51c4-47b3-9317-b6d9bc25fd22%22;rec=0), which is a political document prepared by the party introducing the bill: > *The Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (the Bill) amends the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 (Cth) (the OEI Act) to extend the application of amendments provided for in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Amendment (Overlapping Applications) Regulations 2024 (the Amendment Regulations) to apply to feasibility licence applications received prior to the commencement of the Amendment Regulations.* > > *The effect of the amendments in the Bill is for the regulatory parameters set out in the Amendment Regulations to apply consistently and fairly to all feasibility licence applications submitted to the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar (the Registrar) in response to an invitation to apply for feasibility licences for a declared area under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure licensing scheme (OEI licensing scheme).* > > *The Bill also amends the Climate Change Act 2022 to require that the Commonwealth must administer the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) program, and deliver at least 23 gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity, and at least 9 gigawatts of clean dispatchable energy capacity by the end of 2030. The Bill further provides that, if the Climate Change Authority provides advice to inform the Annual Climate Change Statement indicating a material risk to achievi — 2025-02-13, Senate: affirmative, ayes 37, noes 30
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2025-02-05.
This bill would make the rules in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Amendment (Overlapping Applications) Regulations 2024 apply to all feasibility licence applications received before those regulations started.
The bill would require the Commonwealth to ensure a certain amount of clean dispatchable energy capacity is available by the end of 2030, and the minister must respond to advice from the Climate Change Authority about risks to meeting that goal.
Any change to the Industry Research and Development (Capacity Investment Scheme Program) would need Parliament's approval before taking effect.
- Extend the regulatory parameters of the 2024 regulations to earlier feasibility licence applications.
- Impose a 2030 deadline for a specified gigawatts of clean dispatchable energy capacity.
- Require the minister to respond to Climate Change Authority advice on capacity risks.
- Require parliamentary approval for amendments or revocation of the Capacity Investment Scheme program.
Applicants for feasibility licences under the offshore electricity infrastructure scheme, the Commonwealth government, and the Climate Change Authority.
Sources
em
em revised
billhome
frl act