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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3866 ..

2

Mister Speaker

This Bill aims to amend the Health Professions Boards (Elections) Act 1980 through the removal of provisions which discriminate against persons based on their age.

At present, this Act prevents people who have attained the age of 65 years from standing for election to a health profession board.

The Act covers the election of members for:

. the Chiropractors and Osteopaths Board

. the Dental Board

. the Medical Board

. the Nurses Board

. the Optometrists Board

. the Pharmacy Board

. the Physiotherapists Board

. the Podiatrists Board and

. the Veterinary Surgeons Board.

Subsection 8(4) of the Act restricts persons who have attained the age of 65 years, by the date of the close of the poll, from nominating for election to serve as a member of

these boards.

This is inconsistent with the Discrimination Act and Government policy.

In addition, discrimination based solely on the age of a nominee does not make sense.

The Government accepts that many persons aged over 65 years have the capacity, knowledge, experience, time and support within their respective professions to stand for election to the various health profession boards.

The Health Professions Boards (Elections) Bill 1997 proposes that Subsection 8(4) of the Act be omitted from the Act. This will remove the age requirement for candidates to elections.

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