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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (3 April) . . Page.. 1362 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

The 2002 cooperation reports for automotive, gas appliances, hazardous and therapeutic goods, and radio communications have recommended that special exemption status for these sectors be rolled over for another 12 months. All cooperation reports recommend a rollover of their special exemption status, except for the consumer products cooperation report.

Two consumer products have been harmonised within the last year, leaving only one remaining to be rolled over for a further 12 months. As a result, the consumer report recommends a 12-month extension of the special exemption for the regulation of child restraints for motor vehicles to allow for further consideration and formulation of recommendations. A final recommendation should be formulated by the relevant authorities within the next two years. The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement Amendment Regulations 2003 reflect this change. The relevant ministerial councils have agreed to the recommendations of the cooperation reports and the Prime Minister has supported their decision.

The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement and the Australian Mutual Recognition Agreement are being jointly reviewed in 2003. As the first phase of the review, the Productivity Commission has been asked to undertake a commissioned research study and is expected to report to COAG and New Zealand in early October 2003. To ensure the integrity of this phase of the review and of consideration of the Productivity Commission's report to COAG and New Zealand, the Prime Minister has supported the rollover of the current special exemptions until April 2004.

States and territories endorse the changes to the Trans-Tasman agreement special exemptions by gazetting the regulations in the respective gazettes or, in the ACT, by notifying the instrument on the ACT legislation register. On behalf of the ACT, I endorsed the notifiable instrument on 25 March 2003.

Paper

Ms Gallagher presented the following paper:

Justice, options and prevention-working to make the lives of ACT women safe

Paper and statement by minister

MS GALLAGHER (Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Women and Minister for Industrial Relations): Mr Speaker, for the information of members I present the following paper:

I ask for leave to make a statement.

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