Page 3926 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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bays. The amendments in the bill provide mobility parking scheme authority holders with an additional 30 minutes to the time limit indicated on electric vehicle parking signs. This will allow mobility parking scheme authority holders to have additional time to access these parking arrangements while ensuring adequate availability of electric vehicle parking in the ACT.
The bill also introduces a new regulatory time frame in which the owner of a vehicle that is kept at an ACT garage address must transfer the registration to the ACT. Introduction of this time frame into the regulation aligns with existing regulatory requirements for drivers licences and existing operational practices for the transfer of registration. It is fair that people who reside within the ACT and enjoy the benefits of our road network are required to register their vehicles here. This includes taking out a policy under our Motor Accident Injury Insurance Scheme, which differs from some other jurisdictions in the coverage and benefits that it provides.
If a vehicle reaches the three-month time frame without being registered in the ACT, the amendments will mean a vehicle will be considered unregistered for the purposes of the ACT’s road transport legislation.
The amendments proposed in this bill build on the ACT government’s commitment to road safety and creating a community culture of shared responsibility. They will support Canberrans to safely explore alternative transport modes and help to reduce Canberra’s transport emissions. Taken together, these amendments will deliver a fairer road transport framework which keeps pace as new technologies and transport choices change how Canberrans get around. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Parton) adjourned to the next sitting.
Health and Community Wellbeing—Standing Committee
Statement by chair
MR DAVIS (Brindabella) (11.03): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing.
Earlier this month, the committee was given the opportunity to inquire into the Public Health Amendment Bill 2021. The committee has decided not to inquire into the bill. I would like to explain to this decision to the Assembly.
The bill seeks to create a new offence of not complying with a COVID-19 direction, with a maximum penalty of 50 penalty units, or $8,000. This is an offence of strict liability, meaning that a person can commit the offence without intending to cause any mischief. As appropriate for a bill of this type, it is characterised as a significant bill due to the extent to which it engages human rights.
The committee decided not to inquire into the bill for several reasons. The first is that the bill includes a defence of reasonable excuse, which is a protection for people who are trying to do the right thing. The next reason is the professionalism displayed to date by ACT Policing in managing compliance with public health directions. There has been a minimum of adverse comment in the last 18 months about how the police
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