Page 1116 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 April 1994
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Recently the situation has changed. In order to avoid duplication of work and minimise the impost on industry through lack of uniformity, it has been agreed by State and Territory environmental agencies and industry that a central national agency be appointed as a clearing house. The Energy Information Centre of the South Australian Department of Mines has been selected as the national clearing house and will be appointed as such by other jurisdictions. The function of the clearing house is to receive a certificate of tests carried out on behalf of the manufacturer by a laboratory certified by the National Association of Testing Authorities and to verify that all tests have been carried out and the appliance model meets the emission standard. The clearing house itself will not be carrying out any testing. Because of this, together with the current wording of section 24A of the principal Act, the clearing house cannot currently be authorised by the Pollution Control Authority to issue valid certificates of compliance.
The proposed amendment removes the need for the person or body issuing certificates of compliance also to be the person or body who has tested the appliance to which the certificate refers. The amendment provided by this Bill will ensure that the Pollution Control Authority can authorise the national clearing house to issue certificates of compliance with the national emission standard for new solid fuel burning equipment. This will streamline certification procedures for the solid fuel burning industry, while at the same time protecting air quality in the ACT. I present the explanatory memorandum for the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr Westende) adjourned.
DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIPS BILL 1994
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General and Minister for Health) (11.07): I present the Domestic Relationships Bill 1994.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CONNOLLY: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this is landmark legislation which puts the ACT in advance of legislation in other parts of Australia. This legislation applies to those who have provided personal or financial commitment and support of a domestic nature, to the material benefit of another person over a period of two years, allowing them to seek adjustment of the ownership of property which is held by the other person to reflect the value of their contribution. Members have had the opportunity to read the exposure draft of the Bill in the discussion paper, and the discussion paper has already been debated in principle in this place. As I will explain, the Bill is not much different from that exposure draft. However, I will briefly outline the Bill to refresh members' recollection of what it does.
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