Page 1012 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 March 1991
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The change proposed in the Stock Bill 1991 is to remove provisions for stock reserves and stock routes. That will assist in rationalising the use of rural land in the ACT. It will be further rationalised and identified when the draft Territory Plan is put on the table, and those areas that are identified for long-term rural use will be clearly indicated on that plan.
In summary, the proposed changes outlined by the Minister regarding registration of stock brands and flexibility of stock rates, combined with the streamlining of procedures for obtaining permits for droving stock, will reduce the regulative controls on primary producers and will be welcomed by rural lessees in the ACT. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
MRS NOLAN (8.07): Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that much of the ACT legislation is outdated. The Alliance Government is committed to updating legislation, and this Bill certainly goes some way towards doing that. As we have already heard, this Bill replaces the Stock Act 1934, which has become outdated.
Primary producers are a very important part of the ACT, just as they are a very important part of Australia. The difference, though, is that this Government recognises the important role of the rural industry in the ACT, whereas the rural community around Australia has been sold out by the Federal Labor Government. The New South Wales Government has also updated its legislation in this regard, and I am pleased to see the ACT coming into line with New South Wales.
The main provisions of this Bill are to establish a large stock brand register in the ACT and thus allow ACT primary producers to transfer the registration of a large stock brand to the ACT register; to provide a mechanism where the ACT controller of stock can vary the stock rate on a yearly basis, allowing consistency with nearby areas of New South Wales; to allow ACT primary producers to write a permit for the droving of their own stock; and to release lands no longer required for stock routes.
The regulatory reforms in the Bill are designed to reduce unnecessary administrative overheads to landholders and the Government. Under the proposed legislation, an ACT primary producer will be able to transfer a registration in New South Wales to the ACT register at no cost. As of 1 July 1991, under new arrangements in New South Wales those primary producers who have not reregistered their large stock brand will have their brands cancelled.
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