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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (28 April) . . Page.. 77 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

within the gas market. This will include meeting our obligations under the national competition policy signed by Rosemary Follett. The considerable efforts by the ACT and all other participating jurisdictions to improve the administration of stamp duty and all revenue laws will culminate in the introduction of legislation which will make it easier for everyone who conducts business in the Territory to meet their taxation obligations.

The Government proposes to introduce legislation to regulate interactive gaming. Interactive gaming is already occurring in an unregulated manner throughout the world, through the Internet or other such forms of interactive gaming. Legislation will provide a means to protect ACT consumers participating in interactive gaming. They will be able to do so confidently and in a secure regulatory environment. Several taxation Bills will be introduced to address a number of housekeeping and administrative matters and enhance the operation of those tax laws. For instance, legislation will be introduced to support administrative arrangements between the Commonwealth and ACT governments following the High Court decision of 1997 regarding business franchise fees. Legislation will also be introduced to provide administrative structures suited to the ACT Government environment in matters ranging from government employment to building approval.

An amended framework for public sector grievance, appeal and disciplinary measures will be established in a major legislative initiative. When the ACT Public Service separated from the Commonwealth in 1994 the ACT retained Commonwealth appeal and grievance structures. It is appropriate that the ACT adopt a system of grievance resolution that is adapted to the structure of our government, especially as the Commonwealth is now reviewing its own process.

A major reform of the building industry will be realised with the introduction of legislation to provide for self-certification or private certification of plans and inspection. This will free up the building industry, away from government approvals and inspections, while providing appropriate regulation to private certifiers.

A number of Bills will continue the Government's efforts to enhance the integrity and improve the response of the criminal justice system to meet the ACT community's expectations. The integrity of the system will be enhanced by a package of Bills to implement a scheme to recover outstanding court-imposed fines. These measures will ensure that those who can pay will pay. It is important that those who have been found guilty of an offence and fined by a court are made to comply with the penalty imposed by the court, namely, payment of the fine. The community is entitled to expect that fines will be recovered when defaulters have the capacity to pay. The response of the criminal justice system to those who are victims of domestic violence will also be improved through amendments to the Domestic Violence Act implementing a number of reforms recommended by the Community Law Reform Committee.

The Government's commitment to ensuring the health, wellbeing and quality of life of our community will also be further enhanced. The Health Promotion Act 1995 will be amended to vary the formula for the provision of funding to the Health Promotion Board. This will allow the board to continue its successful role of undertaking health promotion programs, addressing priority health issues and conducting health lifestyle projects.

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