Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3665 ..

8

Section 280 of the Land Act provides that objectors and the applicant for review may apply to the Board to be made a party and, by order, become a party to proceedings. The substance of this section is desirably reproduced for inclusion in the amended AAT Act. Clause 15 of the AAT Bill will give effect to this in new subsection 28(2A) of the AAT Act. Clause 15 will also provide in new subsection 28(2B) that a concurring authority would have standing as of right to be a party to proceedings where the decision of the concurring authority is substantively at issue in the proceedings. It would, of course, be inappropriate for a concurring authority to appear as of right when its decision is not really in contention.

Clause 17 of the Bill will include a new subsection 35(2A) to provide that a State or Territory Attorney-General may certify that the disclosure of certain information would be contrary to the public interest. Section 35 of the Act at present provides for the ACT Attorney-General (referred to in the Act as "the Minister") or the Commonwealth Attorney-General to certify that certain information should not be disclosed. It seems reasonable to make specific provision for State and other Territory Attorneys-General

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .