Page 4103 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
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advisory styles of government, but in the circumstances of this amendment we are happy to accept the abolition of a statutory community body and the vesting of powers in the Minister.
That being said, Mr Speaker, the Opposition remains disappointed that it has been presented with a Consumer Affairs (Amendment) Bill that is purely mechanical, rather than the long-awaited and, we have to say, long-promised substantial reforms to consumer protection laws in this Territory. Opposition members still await the tabling of such legislation by the Attorney-General. That being said, Mr Speaker, we support the Bill now before the house.
DR KINLOCH (11.12): Certainly, the Government would endorse most of Mr Connolly's remarks. Government members too, of course, would like to see full, complete, thorough consumer legislation, but meanwhile we have this particular Bill on this particular topic. So, I would like to support the introduction of the Consumer Affairs (Amendment) Bill.
The Bill, as Mr Connolly has already suggested, replaces the existing Consumer Affairs Council with an advisory committee which is appropriate for a self-government situation. This is a welcome measure, as the original council was not designed to suit the circumstances of self-government. The Consumer Affairs Council and its functions were designed, in part, to compensate for the lack of representative government in the ACT. Now, as we have self-government, it is time to introduce these amendments. These will enhance the advisory role of the new committee and remove the resulting duplication of functions which existed between the council and the Consumer Affairs Bureau.
Given the new arrangements, may I hope - and I would lay this before my colleagues and, indeed, before the entire Assembly - that the advisory council will in future include on it adequate representation from those members of the community who are over 65. I would remind us all that we have, over the past year and a half, been concerned about the needs of the ageing. One of the areas that are particularly important for the ageing - and we are all ageing, but I am thinking of people over 65 - is this very considerable area of consumer affairs. There are new needs, new problems and new challenges for this growing area of the population of the ACT.
At the moment the new advisory committee has members appointed by the Government. Committee members have, in fact, already been chosen, with the committee meeting twice informally. The members do represent a wide range of consumer and trader interests, but I do ask that that over-65 question be considered very carefully in future. Thus both consumer and industry groups will have direct input to the Government on consumer affairs issues and policies, which is a great gain to all of us, both community and Government. This arrangement allows great flexibility which will make the committee a valuable tool.
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