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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (2 March) . . Page.. 488 ..
MR MOORE (continuing):
appropriately taken under the Community and Health Services Complaints Act 1993. Issues about standards of care would, in these circumstances, be managed by the nation that engaged the health care staff.
Mr Speaker, the approaches proposed in this Bill pose no risk to the safety of our community or in any way affect the trade or business of a person engaged in a health occupation in the Territory. Provider organisations consulted about this Bill have expressed no problems with the objectives of the legislation.
Mr Speaker, this Bill meets requirements established for hosting of matches involved with the Olympic football tournament. As members are aware, the ACT will shortly be host to sporting teams from around the world. As I drove down Northbourne Avenue to London Circuit the other day, I saw that we had about 190 days to go. It is required and appropriate that we have legislation to enable these visiting sporting teams to be treated by their own medical support staff. Olympic host obligations aside, it is perhaps equally important that the ACT take advantage of the unique opportunity involved with hosting Olympic events to promote the ACT as an international venue. This Bill, in a small way, supports the promotion of the ACT as a host capable of meeting the demanding requirements of international special events. It also places the ACT on an equal footing with Queensland and New South Wales, which have also established similar legislation. Mr Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Wood ) adjourned.
MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services) (11.14): Mr Speaker, I present the Commissioner for the Environment Amendment Bill 2000, together with its explanatory memorandum.
Title read by Clerk.
MR SMYTH: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, the Commissioner for the Environment Act 1993 requires the commissioner to submit State of the Environment Reports by 31 March of each pre-election year. This requirement was intended to ensure that the State of the Environment Reports, and government responses, were tabled in the year leading up to each election. This means that State of the Environment Reports can serve as an environmental scorecard on the Government's term in office. It also helps to inform debate generally.
Since this requirement was put in place, the date of the ACT election has been changed from February to October every third year. This means that under the law as it currently stands future State of the Environment Reports are to be produced 19 months before the ACT elections. Of itself, this situation might not require an amendment, but the commissioner has also taken on the task of preparing regional State of the Environment
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