Page 3026 - Week 09 - Thursday, 21 September 2006
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prepared to pick up the slack it is important that insurance operators are not legislated out of profitability. The reporting provisions that require certain information on insurance operations in the ACT are an important part of that balancing act. I am pleased that this bill expands on the capacity of the ACT government to request or specify additional information.
The amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act broaden access to the tribunal and extend its jurisdiction. These amendments reflect a position agreed between government, the tenants advice service and other stakeholders. The Residential Tenancies Tribunal has a good record in resolving tenancy matters in a reasonably prompt, just and cost-efficient manner. The introduction of a new regime of tenancy agreements has in a number of situations expanded the access of residents to that tribunal. This amendment fills some of the gaps and ensures that tenants and landlords who have been specifically excluded hitherto can now get access to the tribunal.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Planning) (11.48), in reply: I thank members for their support for this legislation. As members have indicated, the bill makes a number of minor and technical changes to a range of justice and community safety legislation. Mr Speaker, I have circulated an amendment to the legislation which we will be dealing with in the detail stage.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Planning) (11.49): Mr Speaker, I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 3077].
This amendment deals with the issue of the delegation provided to the president of the Human Rights Commission. The government has taken the decision to seek the removal of the role of the president of the Human Rights Commission as a way of achieving efficiencies within the operation of the commission and, as such, the need for the delegation power contained within the Human Rights Commission Act is no longer required. For that reason, the amendment omits proposed new section 19AA of the Human Rights Commission Act 2005, as the government intends in the next sittings of the Assembly to put legislation to this Assembly to remove the role of the president from the act.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (11.51): I understand that this amendment was only circulated this morning. Indeed, it makes official something that the government has already said—this was announced last June—will occur in relation to a change to the Human Rights Commission. The legislation, which I supported, provided for a separate president and now that position is to be removed.
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