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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (29 March) . . Page.. 1053 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

exemption for mandatory energy efficiency labelling for electrical appliances and to roll-over special exemptions described in schedule 3 of the Commonwealth's Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.

The Commonwealth Act provides for the recognition within Australia of regulatory standards adopted in New Zealand regarding goods and occupations. It is legislation as contemplated by the Trans-Tasman mutual recognition agreement, a non-treaty agreement signed in 1996 between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments of Australia and the Government of New Zealand.

Last year it was agreed by the Australia and New Zealand Mineral Energy Council that the temporary exemption relating to energy efficiency labelling would be converted to a permanent exemption before 1 May 2000. The permanent exemption must be put in place so that mutual recognition does not come into being by default for goods not using energy efficiency labelling. Because New Zealand has not finalised energy efficiency labelling laws, goods could be imported from New Zealand to Australia without a display of energy efficiency ratings if the permanent exemption is not made. The permanent exemption therefore preserves the integrity of Australia's energy efficient labelling laws.

The regulation will also provide a further 12-month period to 30 June 2001, for special exemptions described in Schedule 3 of the Act. The purpose of the extension is to allow Australia and New Zealand regulators to develop complementary arrangements across the Tasman in the areas of therapeutic goods, hazardous substances, industrial chemicals and dangerous goods, consumer product safety standards, radio telecommunication standards and electromagnetic compatibility, road vehicles and gas appliances.

Under the Commonwealth Act, the Governor-General can make regulations to introduce a permanent exemption and to continue special exemptions. A permanent exemption requires the endorsement of all participating jurisdictions and special exemptions require the endorsement of at least two-thirds of the participating jurisdictions to the agreement. An endorsement is made by a jurisdiction publishing a notice, endorsing the terms of the regulation, in its official gazette.

Currently the participating jurisdictions to the arrangement are the Commonwealth, New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT. All participating jurisdictions, including New Zealand, have agreed to the proposed regulations.

MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (3.48): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the following papers:

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