Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:04): My question is to the Attorney-General. Minister, will you confirm that Labor’s 40th new or increased tax, gazetted on Monday, is a whopping 50 per cent increase in the cost of birth, death and marriage certificates, in effect a tax on celebrations and grieving?
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:04): Mr Davis, there is so much wrong with that question, but to even imply that a fee is a tax is quite extraordinary. I can confirm that as per the gazette there are increases to the provision of certificates from births, deaths and marriages. This will align more closely with a cost recovery model, which is a custom-and-practice way of dealing with fees in relation to government expenditure and government services across the board.
For members’ information, BDM will change the certificate fees from $34.30 to $51.40 for legal certificates. This fee change only applies to legal certificate purchases, with births, deaths and marriages registrations continuing to be processed at no cost. The change will be applicable from 1 March. Registrations are free; it is the certificates that require a fee, and it will still be one of the lowest in Australia. We have been tracking extremely low compared to other jurisdictions. For example, comparative certificates in New South Wales are currently $60. The increase will ensure that we can sustain and maintain improved delivery for these services that Victorians rely on.
Most recently I visited the Craigieburn note-printing facility, which is producing and providing new state-of-the-art secure paper to BDM and to other jurisdictions in Australia to combat identity theft. This is innovation that is amazing and is employing Victorians to produce this tamper-proof and identity theft proof material, which will be of interest to other jurisdictions, including international customers, for that new innovation. So, yes, Mr Davis, there are increases. These are appropriate in the circumstances which I have just outlined.
Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:07): ‘A fee is not a tax’ is what I think you said, so we will just record that. Minister, will you confirm that this money—$3.5 million per year—will go directly into consolidated revenue and be used to pay for Labor’s waste and mismanagement?
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:07): Mr Davis, it is important for births, deaths and marriages, as I have said, to operate a model that is as close to cost recovery as possible. This is important and a responsible measure that the government should take. Many of the ways that government brings in money direct it into consolidated revenue so that it can be appropriated to where it needs to go, including the operation of births, deaths and marriages so people can continue to register births, deaths and marriages and receive those important certificates to prove their identity or indeed hang on the wall as a mark of celebration.