The Senate has approved legislation enabling tax cuts on diverse products ranging from fuel for generating electricity to construction materials and imported motor vehicle parts.

The Customs Tariff Amendment Act 2025 also eliminates the duty on hospital operating supplies and lowers the duty rate on air-conditioning units and parts.

Under the legislation, which amends the Customs Tariff Act 1970, residents coming back from overseas will get a significantly higher duty exemption on goods purchased abroad from July 1 — from $200 to $300 per person, the first change since 2012.

Crystal Caesar, the Minister of Education, told the Upper House yesterday that the Bill would bring relief to consumers, with “wide-ranging” duty relief on selected building materials, prefabricated supplies and raw materials for interior and exterior work.

Marcus Jones, the Opposition Leader in the Senate, said any measure taken in the Upper House to bring relief to the construction industry would get support.

However, he pointed out that electrical and plumbing parts did not appear to receive tariff reductions.

Mr Jones added: “One would recognise that those two items within the construction industry are very important, and an intricate part of any building development.”

Ms Caesar replied that there had been a reduction on plumbing fixtures and electrical parts, and called for Mr Jones to be more specific.

At the request for answers from Mr Jones, the Senate dissolved in committee to address aspects of the legislation.

However, Ms Caesar informed the committee that the legislation was a money Bill — meaning the committee could not amend it.

Joan Dillas-Wright, the President of the Senate, apologised to her colleagues, adding: “I take full responsibility for the error that occurred”.

The Bill was passed after a vote.