Page 1784 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 6 June 2006
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Since there could, on the face of it, be a conflict between the statutory obligations that a statutory appointee such as a board member has to promote the interests of the entity concerned and the obligations that that person has to carry out the government’s policy decisions, provisions in this bill provide a clear statutory authority for assisting in a transition process. A person who provides information or gives assistance in the transfer of assets and liabilities from a statutory entity is not in breach of confidence or professional ethics and does not incur any civil liability.
In addition, there are provisions in this bill to allow the transfer of assets, liabilities and contractual obligations by way of ministerial declaration. In order to protect people who have been dealing with the statutory bodies prior to their abolition, provisions in the bill ensure that the territory becomes the successor in law of each statutory body and that legal proceedings already under way can be continued with the territory standing in the place of the abolished entity. Ultimately, everything belonging to the abolished statutory bodies will belong to the territory through the operation of the provisions in this bill.
There are provisions in this bill to abolish the Planning and Land Council, consistent with the policy adopted by the government of review of all advisory councils and committees.
Amendments to integrate the reporting of the Occupational Health and Safety Commissioner under the Financial Management Act into the umbrella reports of the Department of Justice and Community Safety are included in this bill. The changes are part of the policy of consolidation of functions, designed to achieve savings through increased efficiency and reduction of duplication.
The bill is designed to support and implement the decisions that the government has made in this year’s budget to consolidate and streamline the delivery of government services so as to give the Canberra community the best possible value for its money. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Stefaniak) adjourned to the next sitting.
Education Amendment Bill 2006 (No 2)
Mr Barr presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Industrial Relations) (3.56): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, this bill amends the Education Act 2004 to expand on the requirement in that act for consultation to take place before schools are closed or amalgamated. This requirement to consult in itself was a landmark change instigated by the Stanhope
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