Page 2266 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994

SMALL COMMERCIAL PREMISES (WHICH IS DEFINED TO MEAN

PREMISES WITH A LETTABLE AREA OF NO MORE THAN 300

SQUARE METRES) OUTSIDE A SHOPPING CENTRE; AND OTHER

PREMISES PRESCRIBED BY THE APPROVED CODE.

THE APPLICATION OF THE BILL AND THE CODE TO THESE KINDS OF

RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL PREMISES, AND TO PREMISES SITUATED IN A

SHOPPING CENTRE, IS ON THE BASIS THAT THESE ARE THE PREMISES

WHICH, ON THE EVIDENCE OF COMPLAINTS TO AND INVESTIGATIONS BY

THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS BUREAU, REQUIRE THE PROTECTION OF THE

BILL AND THE CODE.

THE CONCEPT OF PRESCRIBED PREMISES WILL PERMIT THE APPLICATION

OF THE BILL AND THE CODE TO PREMISES WHICH ARE NOT OF A

COMMERCIAL OR RETAIL NATURE, FOR EXAMPLE, PREMISES USED FOR

COMMUNITY OR NON-PROFIT PURPOSES.

THE BILL ENABLES THE MINISTER BY DISALLOWABLE INSTRUMENT TO

APPROVE A CODE OF PRACTICE AND, AS I HAVE ALREADY STATED, IT IS

MY INTENTION TO APPROVE, AFTER FURTHER CONSULTATION, A FINAL

VERSION OF THE DRAFT CODE WHICH I HAVE TABLED TODAY.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE DRAFT CODE IS THAT ITS

PROVISIONS ARE PROPOSED TO APPLY ONLY IN RESPECT OF LEASES

ENTERED INTO, EXTENDED UNDER AN OPTION, RENEWED OR VARIED

ON OR AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CODE, WITH TWO

EXCEPTIONS.

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