Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (29 March) . . Page.. 1033 ..
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety. I refer to the report of the Agents Board of the Australian Capital Territory for the year ended 30 June 1999. In that report, there is the following statement:
In February 1993 the then Chief Minister announced a review of the Agents Act 1968 with a view to ensuring that the industries covered under the Act are subject to the appropriate form and level of regulation, and that such regulation is effectively and efficiently administered. The Board continues to be restricted in its aim to improve effective and efficient operations, pending changes to the legislation.
The Chief Minister said in February 1993 said that the Government was going to review the Act. Has that review been completed; if not, why not?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Kaine for that question. I do not recall the decision by the former Government to commence a review of the Agents Act. I take Mr Kaine's word that that is what was said in the most recent Agents Board report that there was initiation by the Minister formerly responsible for the Agents Act to review the Act. I have certainly been aware of the need to review the Act and I am aware from discussions with my department about progressing that review, which I think it is true to say has slipped down the order of priorities as other matters have pressed in on my department, that the view of the Agents Board is that there ought to be a review completed by, I think, the middle of next year. I may have got that date wrong. It is certainly some time in the near future because I have made reappointments to the Agents Board based on there being a capacity to change the structure of the board in light of that review. I have limited those appointments to, I think, 12 months in order to have flexibility at that point as to being able to change the structure of the Act and the board underneath it.
We have just started a national competition policy review of agents and that Act is one of a number of pieces of legislation which the Government is reviewing pursuant to the intergovernmental agreement on competition policy. I am reminded that I did write to members only in the last few days under the Interstate Agreements Act on the question of agents. That may have touched on this question. I will certainly check that up and find out if it did. I would concede that the review process for the Act has taken a long time and it certainly should be quicker in an ideal world than it has been. As I say, I think that the review is due to be completed within about 12 months, but I will get back to Mr Kaine and the Assembly if that date is not accurate.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .