Bills — Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading

Senate · 30 Oct 2025 · 11:17
Passed by a small majority
38
Yes (ayes)
25
No (noes)
The question is that the second reading amendment moved by Senator Ruston to the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025 be agreed to.

See it for yourself

This vote was on this bill. Read the official text:
Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025
Government bill (Labor), introduced in the House
Portfolio: Health and Ageing
Read the law (PDF) ›
Act No. 55 of 2025 as passed, Federal Register of Legislation
Read the bill (PDF) ›
Bill as passed by both Houses, aph.gov.au
Explanatory memorandum (PDF) ›
The government's explanation of the bill, aph.gov.au
Official Hansard record (PDF) ›
Senate, 30 Oct 2025. The division is at 11:17. Parliament of Australia
Official documents from aph.gov.au and legislation.gov.au, checked 21 October 2026.

What was debated in Parliament

Summarised using AI from the official Hansard transcript of the debate only. It is not a record of the debate and may leave things out. Read the Hansard below to check it.
This bill changes who must pay the levy that funds the National Joint Replacement Registry, which tracks how hip, knee and other joint implants perform. It makes the company currently responsible for a listed device pay, not just the original applicant, and confirms past levy collections were valid. All parties who spoke supported it, and much of the debate turned to wider issues such as hospital funding and aged care.
Arguments made in support
Government members said the registry tracks which implants work and which fail, helping surgeons and regulators keep patients safe.
Speakers said the change keeps up with companies merging or selling products, so the levy falls on whoever is now responsible for the device.
Labor members said companies that profit from devices, not patients or taxpayers, should fund the system that monitors them.
Supporters said validating past payments protects the registry's funding from legal challenge.
The Coalition and the Greens said it was a sensible technical fix and supported it.
Arguments made against, or for changes
Nobody opposed the bill itself. Coalition speakers used the debate to criticise the government on hospital funding, surgery waiting lists and home-care packages.
In the Senate the Coalition moved a second reading amendment criticising the government over hospital funding.
14 speeches by 10 members in the House and Senate over 4 sitting days.
Hansard: House of Representatives, 4 Sept 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: House of Representatives, 8 Oct 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: Senate, 29 Oct 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Hansard: Senate, 30 Oct 2025 ›
The official Hansard (PDF), Parliament of Australia
Every recorded vote on Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025
›

How each party voted

Labor
0 Yes
24 No
5–
Liberal
15 Yes
0 No
5–
Greens
9 Yes
0 No
One Nation
3 Yes
0 No
1–
Nationals
3 Yes
0 No
LNP
2 Yes
0 No
Independent
0 Yes
1 No
1–
Australia's Voice
1 Yes
0 No
CLP
0 Yes
0 No
1–
Lambie
0 Yes
0 No
1–
UAP
0 Yes
0 No
1–
The last column counts members who did not vote. Party counts are for current members.
5 votes were cast by people who have since left Parliament.

No rebels

Every party member who voted went with the majority of their party.
Source: Hansard, Senate, 30 Oct 2025
Parliament of Australia, via OpenAustralia Foundation · checked 14 October 2026