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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 323a ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

A very important government commitment to the community was the provision of a fair deal on land rates. To meet this, the Rates and Land Tax Amendment Bill 2003 will be proposed. This Bill addresses in full the government's commitment to review the rating system and to implement a fairer, more equitable system. While an interim system was put in place for 2002-2003, the proposed bill implements the changes necessary to achieve the government's longer term objectives.

To further our commitment to being a responsible and open government, we will also introduce the Government Procurement Amendment Bill 2003. It responds to a recommendation made on the matter by the Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration in its Public Accounts Committee Report No 28, and follows on from a government review of the operation of the Public Access to Government Contracts Act 2000.

Mr Speaker, the health and safety of all Canberrans is a crucial consideration for the government. As members will appreciate, the government has already given much attention to health issues and has reorganised the health portfolio in light of the Reid review.

To continue the many initiatives we have made in the health area, the government will introduce the Health Professionals Bill 2003. It will give effect to the recommendations arising out of a regulatory review of health professional legislation in the Territory.

The Reproductive Technology Bill 2003 will also be introduced to develop nationally consistent legislation on the banning of human cloning and other unacceptable practices; regulation of stem cell research; and artificial reproductive technologies in the ACT.

For increased safety against crime, it is proposed to introduce the Firearms Amendment Bill 2003 for passage by 1 July 2003. It will give effect to new national regulations relating to handguns and firearms trafficking, which were agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments. The bill will also provide for a number of provisions contained in the recommendations of the Review of the Firearms Act 1996 which was completed in June 2001.

We will also proceed with an amendment to the Freedom of Information Act. This was a commitment outlined in our Code of Good Government and which will also implement recommendations made by the Auditor-General in Report No 12 of 2001. The amendment will provide for a consistent, whole of government approach to FOI decision making and review with a heightened emphasis on disclosure rather than secrecy. Exemption provisions will also be made more consistent with those in corresponding State and Commonwealth legislation.

Mr Speaker, the government is committed to fair trading and to the protection of consumers. A Consumer and Trader Tribunal Bill will be introduced to cover complaints and review licensing decisions in regard to the agents and security industry. This Tribunal will reduce the existing duplication of functions by replacing the Agents Board and the five existing Dispute Resolution Committees for the security industry with one Tribunal. In fact, that was done today.

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