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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (11 April) . . Page.. 974 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

considered proposal for the number of gaming machines appropriate for the ACT, along with the necessary controls for their operation.

Whilst the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission finalises the review of the act, it would be inappropriate for the restrictions on the number of gaming machines permitted in the territory to be relaxed. We do not want to pre-empt the results of the review in any way. It therefore makes sense, Mr Speaker, to extend the current restrictions on the number of gaming machines that can be licensed for a further 12 months to allow this comprehensive review to take place and the results made available. I commend the Gaming Machine (Cap) Amendment Bill 2002 to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Territory Records Bill 2002

Mr Wood, pursuant to notice, presented the bill and its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR WOOD (Minister for Urban Services and Minister for the Arts) (10.43): Mr Speaker, I move:

This bill proposes a records management regime that will herald a new approach to records management for all agencies of the ACT government. Jon Stanhope, in a speech entitled "A Code of Good Government" in March 2001, made a commitment that when in office Labor would ensure that government records would be properly kept and that legislation would be introduced to establish the provisions for records management for the government.

The legislation introduced but never debated by the Humphries government is not likely to have earned the public's confidence that this government was serious about the management of its records. The legislation that I am introducing today is designed to give confidence to our community that government records will be created, managed, and accessible. This is a key component for open and accountable government.

The Territory Records Bill 2002 establishes a new position of Director of Territory Records. The director will have a range of functions, including the development and approval of standards for records management. These standards will be used by each agency in the development of their records management programs. The legislation also requires agencies to prepare schedules for the disposal of their records and these schedules, in turn, have to be approved by the Director of Territory Records.

To emphasise our commitment to open and accountable records management, this legislation establishes a Territory Records Advisory Council. The council, with wide-ranging representation from agencies, professional organisations, community associations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, will provide advice to the Director of Territory Records.

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