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In 2011/12, budgetary assistance for the electricity, gas, water and waste services industries, mainly in the form of transitional assistance under the industry-specific Energy Security Fund (92.8% of total assistance to the sector), peaked ($A 1.1 billion) and was the highest among all sectors. This assistance was a one-off and in 2012/13 budgetary assistance for this sector dropped markedly to just $A 129.6 million. (...)

Table 4.3 Government assistance to the services sector, 2012/13
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services:
Net tariff assistance: -97.1
Budgetary assistance: 129.6

(…) domestic producers of ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel used in transport also continued to receive a government subsidy, although subsidies for ethanol and biodiesel are to be gradually repealed.

(…) domestic producers of ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel used in transport also continued to receive a government subsidy, which is to be gradually repealed (ethanol, biodiesel).

(…) Domestic producers of ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel used in transport also continued to receive a government subsidy, which for ethanol and biodiesel is to be gradually repealed (section 4.3.2.3).

(…) In general, the decline in labour productivity seen since the early 2000s has been due to the lag between capital investment and the corresponding increase in output and the depletion of high-quality natural resources.

(…) Measures aimed at increasing broader-based productivity growth form an essential part of the Government's reform agenda [15] (…)

[15] Despite successive rounds of reforms it seems that progress has stalled or even reversed in some productivity-enhancing policy areas and the 'to do list' among the Productivity Commission's recommendations is still a fairly long one, including those to: (...) terminate selective industry subsidies (e.g. automotive and renewable energy industries) that cannot deliver demonstrable net social benefits; (...)

Australia encourages foreign investment not contrary with its national interest. To ensure that national interests are protected, Australia continues to apply a screening process under the framework of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 and the 2013 Foreign Investment Policy. The concept of "national interest" is not defined under the Act or Policy and is interpreted on a case-by-case basis, inter alia, taking into account a range of factors, typically including: national security; competition; the impact on other Government policies (including taxation); the impact on the economy and the community; and, the character of the investor.[44] (...)

[44] Greater detail on how these factors are taken in account is set out in the Foreign Investment Policy. Viewed at: http://www.firb.gov.au/content/policy.asp?NavID=1. This Policy (Annex 2) also contains the Government's policy statement on foreign investment in agriculture and the national interest considerations taken into account in this specific sector, namely: the quality and availability of Australia's agricultural resources, including water; land access and use; agricultural production and productivity; Australia's capacity to remain a reliable supplier of agricultural production, both to the Australian community and its trading partners; biodiversity; and employment and prosperity in Australia's local and regional communities.

The screening process applies to: proposed investments by foreign private investors involving the acquisition of a substantial interest (of 15% or more) in any business that is valued at over $A 252 million. However, as a result of RTA commitments, higher monetary thresholds (of $A 1,094 million) apply to investments in non-sensitive sectors by investors incorporated in United States (since 2005); New Zealand (since 2013); Chile (since 2014); and the Republic of Korea (since 2014). [46] (...)

[46] Sensitive sectors are: (...); and the extraction of (or holding of rights to extract) uranium or plutonium or the operation of nuclear facilities. In these sectors the general threshold of $A 252 million applies.

Since January 2012, Australia's tariff classification system has been based on the HS2012 nomenclature. [9] (…)

[9] The fourth review amendments to the Harmonized System concentrate primarily on environmental and social issues that are of global concern. The 2012 Harmonized System revisions contain approximately 800 amendments to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 affecting 43 of the 98 chapters in the classification, through either note changes or classification changes or both. Extensive revisions affected Chapters 3, 9, 16, 27, 29, 61-62, and 96. Australian Customs and Border Protection Notice No. 2011/12, "2012 Harmonized System Changes". Viewed at: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ACNHS2012Final.pdf.