Page 3249 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
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A legislature cannot expect its citizens to be informed about the operation of the law unless there is ready access to its legislation. It is appalling that there has been little reprinting of legislation since 1979 and practitioners in this chamber will, I am sure, endorse my remarks. I am sure that all members will welcome the $450,000 we provided in the budget for the electronic publishing of ACT legislation. Similarly, my announcement on Tuesday concerning the establishment of an office of the ACT Human Rights Commission in Canberra this year must be welcomed by those who have a concern for human rights. It was the Commonwealth Government who closed the ACT office of their Human Rights Commission with little regard for the impact on disadvantaged ACT residents. The Alliance Government believes that only through ACT Government action can we improve human rights. Our legislation will extend anti-discrimination provisions to areas and activities not covered by the Commonwealth legislation.
Mr Speaker, tenancy law reforms are another issue high on the agenda of the Government. When I established the Community Law Reform Committee earlier this year I asked the committee to review tenancy law so that the proposed rental bond scheme could be considered in its wider context. This Government's rental bond scheme will be different in some respects to that proposed by Mrs Grassby last year and to Mr Connolly's proposal earlier this week. We do not propose to create a statutory board but instead will have an advisory committee to reduce costs and reflect the true structure of the ACT.
There will not be a separate statutory dispute resolution tribunal. This would be inconsistent with proposals yet to be fully considered for the restructuring of the ACT courts. Instead, the Small Claims Court will be used to settle disputes. May I add that any litigation solicitor would have supported that and I am sorry the Opposition did not seek advice before it drafted its Bill. The advisory committee will be appointed to oversight the implementation of the scheme and review its operation once introduced. Again, this is a demonstration of our consultative approach to reform.
Our approach is also reflected in the budget announcements for juvenile justice and adult corrections. The proposed ministerial advisory committee, which will oversight our reforms in corrections policy and service delivery, will have representatives of the judiciary, the legal profession, former offenders, the community and people with expertise in this area. I will be announcing the membership of the ministerial advisory committee in a few weeks. The committee will help us to develop the legislation for home detention, work release schemes and other sentencing options. It will develop a five-year strategic plan and it will develop strategies for greater community involvement in the delivery of programs, such as the proposal for a bail hostel. But we have not deferred
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