Page 1264 - Week 05 - Thursday, 25 June 1992
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appoint the panel members and to remove them on specified grounds. The Bill also enables the commission to delegate its powers to grant leave of absence to a statutory officer of the commission and to appoint persons to act as statutory officers.
An amendment to section 44 of the Act has also been included to increase to $100,000 the monetary limit of contracts the commission may enter into without the need for ministerial approval. The present level is $50,000. These administrative changes will supplement the commission's statutory independent status and increase its responsibility for its own affairs, with the result, of course, of savings of time and cost.
The Act includes secrecy and legal professional privilege provisions which reflect the commission's special status as a statutory legal firm. However, these provisions have, on occasions, proved unduly constraining. The Bill addresses this by providing general exceptions to both the very strict secrecy provisions of the principal Act and the provision on legal professional privilege. Disclosure is to be permitted in a range of specified circumstances - that is, for the purpose of facilitating the investigation or prosecution of offences against the Act, with the express or implied consent of the person to whom the information relates - that is the client - and for the purposes of disciplinary proceedings under the Legal Practitioners Act 1970.
I believe that the measures proposed in the Bill will simplify and strengthen the procedures required for the commission's efficient operations in general. I commend the Bill to the Assembly and, Madam Speaker, I present the explanatory memorandum for the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.
FAIR TRADING (FUEL PRICES) BILL 1992
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (11.00): Madam Speaker, I present the Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Bill 1992.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CONNOLLY: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
There has been considerable community unrest about petrol prices in the ACT. There is a widespread perception in the community that petrol prices are consistently higher in the ACT than they should be. ACT residents can have that perception every time they travel by car to Sydney, as many residents do regularly, and they can see the prices advertised outside petrol stations by the roadside. Mr Matt Abraham, of the ABC morning radio program, is able to inform us nearly every morning that petrol in far-flung places in the outback is cheaper than, or at the same price as, petrol in Canberra.
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