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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4268 ..

2.

Mr Speaker, this Bill modifies the Roman Catholic Church Property Trust Act 1937 (the Act) in relation to the activities of the trustees of the Catholic Church trust property (the Trust), handling of bequests and execution of instruments.

The Department of Urban Services was approached by the Business Manager of the Catholic Archdiocese for Canberra and Goulburn in relation to the application of the Act and management difficulties that have arisen in the administration of trusts and bequests to the Church.

The Bill addresses the concerns raised by expanding the powers of the Trust and providing consistency with NSW legislation. It is intended that other similar legislation regulating church property management will be amended only at the request of the relevant organisation.

The Act currently allows the Trust to hold, sublet, sell or raise money on the security of any estate or interest in Territory land on behalf of the Church.

Mr Speaker, this Bill expands the powers of the Trust to allow it to conduct, on behalf of the Church, educational, welfare and health services within the ACT community. The legislation will also allow the Trust to undertake other activities it deems appropriate and beneficial to it or the Church.

In 1986 NSW legislation was amended to allow the Trust to conduct educational, welfare and charitable services on behalf of the Church. The legislation will enable the Archdiocese's properties in NSW and the ACT to function in a consistent manner by removing discrepancies from the current operating arrangements.

Mr Speaker, there are some instances in which it is impractical for the Trust to observe the objects of a trust fund or gift bequested to the Church. The intention of the

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