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Hansard . . Page.. 175 ..

in place, some say, adequately addresses these issues through the formation of the Tenancy Tribunal Act, which provides for the mediation and settlement of disputes and a code of practice which gives sufficient notice for the negotiation for the renewal of leases and a mechanism for the setting of rentals for annual adjustments and renewals.

Mr Moore in his speech on the Bill, recorded in Hansard on page 2654, indicated that he would be delighted to withdraw his own Bill in order to adopt regulations which had “teeth”. He acknowledged that a series of governments had failed to deliver this sort of legislation and said:

So the legislation that is finally before us is indeed welcome.

He pointed out that the inequity of power between landlords and tenants was addressed by the legislation so that tenants have the right to conduct their businesses and to plan their futures with some stability. He also said that the legislation would play a role in assisting the employment of more people in the ACT - and he is right. Mr Moore concluded on page 2657 by saying that the Bill and the code of practice were a major step forward in this area which the ACT had been trying to deal with for over 20 years.

I must admit that I was at the Campbell shops with Mr Moore on a previous occasion and that on that occasion I was wrong and he was right. I said some things for which I went back and apologised to some of those Campbell shopkeepers, some of whom I know very well. As I said, at that time Mr Moore was right and I was wrong, and I am quite happy to say that. On 21 September 1994 Mr Moore, speaking on amendments to the Bill, said:

Certainly, even should the amendments that have been foreshadowed ... not get through and even if the amendments that I am putting up do not get through, as I suspect will be the case, then, Madam Speaker, this still does provide a far better balance between the powers of the owner and the powers of the tenant.

Mr Moore also said:

I would like to indicate now, Madam Speaker, that these amendments that have been put up by the Attorney-General are in order, and I am quite happy to support them.

I think we found that there was nearly unanimity in the support of those amendments - something that, for the information of those people who have come here of recent times, we often see in this house. Whilst we get to hear of the tantalising bits outside in the media, most of the time we seem to have consensus on a lot of issues. In view of the fact that the regulations have yet to be tested, it is too early to prejudge existing contentious issues. I am also delighted that the Attorney-General decided to name the company that he named today. As Mr Connolly, the former Attorney, said, that is something that people should not do lightly in this place; but there are times when things have to be done, and the Attorney must be congratulated on that. The Attorney has already indicated that a review process will be undertaken at the end of six months. I believe that this is an appropriate course of action.

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