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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (11 November) . . Page.. 3929 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

As I indicated in my statement to the Assembly last week, I also signed the Natural Gas Pipeline Access Agreement which will introduce competition into the natural gas sector. The agreement represents a further major step in competition reform, will ensure free and fair trade in the natural gas sector and promises to deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits for Canberrans. The council also endorsed the report "Monitoring Compliance with COAG Principles and Guidelines for National Standard Setting". The report establishes a role for the Commonwealth Office of Regulation Review, ORR, in reviewing and advising on draft regulation impact statements prepared by ministerial councils and national regulatory bodies. The office will report on the number and quality of completed regulation impact statements and, if appropriate, propose that the COAG Committee on Regulatory Reform raise any concerns with heads of government.

Following the COAG meeting, the first meeting of the Treaties Council was held. The Treaties Council is the culmination of a push by leaders to make the Commonwealth more accountable to the States and Territories before they sign major international agreements and treaties. As I advised members last week, four treaties and one international instrument were considered at this meeting. The Treaties Council supported the Commonwealth in its efforts to promote the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the draft optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Treaties Council also called on the international community to support the timely development of the protocol in the interests of children around the world.

The Treaties Council agreed to further work being carried out between the Commonwealth, States and Territories on the World Trade Organisation agreement on government procurement. The World Trade Organisation negotiations on financial services are due to conclude in December, and the Commonwealth agreed to maintain close consultation with the States and Territories on this issue. The Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, if adopted by the UN, will become an international instrument of less-than-treaty status. The Commonwealth agreed to maintain consultation with the States and Territories about this instrument. Finally, the Convention to Combat Desertification was also discussed. Obviously, the ACT had little input into that one.

I thank members for the opportunity to advise the Assembly on the discussions that were undertaken at this meeting. A number of important issues were involved and, if members have any further questions on any of the issues that I have raised, we would be more than happy to answer them. I present the following paper:

Financial Premiers Conference on Tax Reform (6 November 1997), the Domestic Violence Summit, and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and Treaties Council Meetings (7 November 1997) - ministerial statement, 11 November 1997.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

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