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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 377 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

service. Employment agencies will be prevented from charging a fee for ancillary-type services like resume preparation or career counselling, yet their competitors, who are not employment agents, will be able to charge a fee for those services.

The Government cannot support the committee's endorsement of this regulation because it fails the national competition policy test. NCP principles declare that regulation should only be imposed on an industry where there is an obvious need to protect the public interest. In this case, as there is no public detriment, there is no public interest to protect,. a point clearly acknowledged by the standing committee and also by ACTCOSS, both of which have relied on anecdotal evidence of problems occurring in other places.

Mr Speaker, the committee's recommendations starkly go against the Government's longstanding commitment to the reduction of the red tape burden on the business community. This regulation also offends Commonwealth government policy which favours cross-subsidisation of Commonwealth employment funding by encouraging these agencies to develop related business activities.

The Government would, without hesitation, support Mr Berry's proposal if there was a genuine social need to protect the interests of disadvantaged people in our community. However, in the absence of any evidence of this industry charging genuinely unemployed people fees, the Government is unable to support such a financially irresponsible use of ACT taxpayers' money.

Debate (on motion by Mr Berry ) adjourned.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present, pursuant to section 29 of the Land (Planning and Environment) Act (1991), Variation No. 100 to the Territory Plan relating to telecommunications facilities policies. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, this variation is presented with the background papers, a copy of the summaries of reports, and a copy of any directions or report required. I ask for leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, Variation No. 100 to the Territory Plan proposes to insert at Part C of the Territory Plan Written Statement a new section, to be known as C5 Policies for Telecommunications Facilities, to provide specific controls for telecommunications development. It is also proposed to amend the definition of a communications facility at Appendix VI of the Territory Plan and to amended clauses 2.3 and 2.4 of the Hills, Ridges and Buffer Areas Land Use Policies at Part B12 of the Territory Plan Written Statement.

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