Page 3604 - Week 12 - Thursday, 13 October 1994
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Perhaps most importantly, this Bill will protect both the interests of the ACT and overseas students who choose to study here through the provision of a comprehensive registration system. This Bill will help to minimise the chances of difficulties; but, if a provider does get into difficulties, the Bill will provide financial protection for students. These measures will increase the ACT's credibility as a destination for overseas students and will ensure that we can offer potential clients a high-quality service. Madam Speaker, I present the explanatory memorandum.
Debate (on motion by Mr De Domenico) adjourned.
WATER POLLUTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1994
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Heritage and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (11.05): Madam Speaker, I present the Water Pollution (Amendment) Bill 1994.
Title read by Clerk.
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
As you are aware, the Government is committed to the protection of water quality in the ACT, and in the Murrumbidgee River downstream of the ACT, for a range of environmental, social and economic uses. The ACT Water Pollution Act 1984 is one of the major means of controlling water pollution in the Canberra region. The Act makes it an offence to discharge wastes to receiving waters without a licence. Under the Act, the Pollution Control Authority currently licenses point sources of discharge, such as the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre, and non-point sources, such as land development activities. Conditions placed on these licences are aimed at best management practice to minimise the discharge of wastes such as phosphorus and suspended solids.
Pending the development of our integrated environment protection legislation, I am proposing a number of amendments to the Act which will improve its administration and ultimately improve water quality in our lakes and rivers. These amendments are: Extending the maximum term of a waste discharge licence issued under the Water Pollution Act from one year to three years; clarifying the relationship between sections 20 and 21 to make it clear that the conditions specified in section 21 are attached to a licence issued under section 20; clarifying the requirement on the Pollution Control Authority to ensure that, in licensing, pollution is reduced to the lowest practical level; and, finally, removing gender-specific language.
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