Page 1842 - Week 06 - Thursday, 5 May 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Today I am introducing amendments to the Unit Titles Act 2001. The object of these amendments is to resolve an anomaly with respect to the staging of class A units in that the units must be physically built in order for staging to be permitted. In other states, the staging of class A units, or their equivalent, only requires the first stage to be built and that the remaining stages have development approval. The proposed amendments to the legislation will permit similar staged developments to be built in the territory as are currently permitted in New South Wales and Victoria.
A number of complex issues have been addressed in the amending legislation with the assistance of a process of consultation with industry, territory agencies and the law society. The concerns addressed in this legislation include the manner in which common property is to be protected and regulated during construction; how the amenity of residents occupying completed units during construction is protected; review of the provisions concerning collection of bonds or establishment of bank guarantees with respect to the incomplete building and site works; and the requirement to complete a development statement, which is to be registered with the units plan.
During development of the legislation, regard has been had to the legislative provisions for staged developments in New South Wales. These provisions are reflected in the proposed amendments to the act and to the regulations. Only one consequential amendment will be required and that will be to the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991. The legislation being tabled today will extend the range of residential and commercial developments in the territory and I commend the legislation to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Seselja) adjourned to the next sitting.
Construction Occupations Legislation Amendment Bill 2005
Mr Corbell, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Minister for Health and Minister for Planning) (10.56): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
This bill amends the Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004, or COLA as it has become known, and two of COLA’s operational acts: the Building Act 2004 and the Water and Sewerage Act 2000.
COLA commenced in September 2004 and brought fundamental change to the regulation of construction occupations in the territory. It gives more effective compliance powers through a licence demerit point system and enforceable rectification orders, requiring substandard construction work to be fixed by the responsible licensee. COLA also unified licence regulation and discipline provisions across all of the COLA occupations,
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .