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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (24 March) . . Page.. 719 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

community to provide a safer environment in which to live. We cannot prevent every accident on Canberra's roads from happening but we can try to make Canberra's roads as safe as possible by following guidelines to protect the infinite passion and quality of life.

Mr Speaker, safety first does not mean a smug self-satisfaction with everything. It is a warning to all persons who are on the roads to play it safe. This new law will only add to the safety first approach to Canberra's roads. My office has recently checked with the National Road Transport Commission regarding the national road rules and the provisions provided in this Bill have not been included. Hopefully, with the Assembly's support, we can remove this anomaly and we can take a further step towards making Canberra's roads the safest in the nation.

Debate (on motion by Mr Smyth ) adjourned.

MR BERRY (10.45): Mr Speaker, I present the Building and Construction Industry Training Levy Bill 1999, together with its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR BERRY: I move:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

This is a Bill to introduce a much needed levy to fund training in the building and construction industry. The building and construction industry is a major employer in the ACT and, in an era where there is an emerging shortage of qualified trades people, training is more important than ever. This Bill seeks to address the problem of ensuring that we have enough qualified trades people to take us into the twenty-first century. It will fill a gap created by government inactivity on this important issue over four years when the Carnell Opposition opposed it but, in an almost miraculous backflip before the last election, came to supporting this idea, only to drop it after. Doesn't that have a familiar ring to it?

The Assembly has dealt with this proposal in the past, first as a Labor Bill which was defeated, and secondly as a Liberal Bill on which this Bill is based. Since this proposal was first defeated there has been a lot of work done and discussion held. Majority industry support for the levy was re-established in 1996. The Construction Industry Training Council has worked with all interested parties over the intervening years to bring the building and construction industry training levy to fruition, and it is to be congratulated for its efforts in this regard.

The building and construction industry is characterised by subcontracting where subcontractors typically hire employees to do a particular job and then release them at the completion of the project, or re-hire them when they have another contract. Activity in

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