Page 636 - Week 03 - Thursday, 15 March 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I have been fairly relaxed about that and have not felt insulted by the fact that our gazes do not meet at all times. But you make a fair point and Mr Smyth makes a fair point. The standing orders require members to address the chair, but we have to be reasonable about this. Members cannot be expected to be frozen in their places with their gaze fixed on my personage. They might find that distracting.
Paper
Mr Speaker presented the following paper:
Study trip—Report by Mr Smyth MLA—Capitals Alliance Canberra 2007 conference—Parliament House, Canberra, 22 and 23 January 2007.
Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act—regulations
Paper and statement by minister
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the Arts): For the information of members, I present the following paper:
Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act—Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (Commonwealth Regulations) Endorsement 2007 (No 1)—Notifiable Instrument NI2007-77, dated 10 March 2007.
I ask leave to make a statement in relation to the paper.
Leave granted.
MR STANHOPE: As the designated person under section 6A of the ACT’s Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997, I have endorsed the proposed regulations of the commonwealth regarding the special exemptions that apply to the commonwealth’s Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement of 1997.
The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement is an agreement between the commonwealth, state and territory governments of Australia and the government of New Zealand. The agreement allows goods to be traded freely and enhances the freedom of individuals to work in both countries.
When the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement was signed in 1997, exemptions were made in industry areas where it was thought that mutual recognition had the potential to generate net benefits but where there were issues outstanding that needed resolution before mutual recognition could apply. While some progress has been made in resolving the issues, a number remain unresolved.
A comprehensive work plan sponsored by the Cross Jurisdictional Review Forum is under way to resolve the outstanding matters. There are five remaining areas to which special exemptions from mutual recognition still apply. These areas are: hazardous substances, industrial chemicals and dangerous goods; therapeutic goods; road vehicles; gas appliances and radio communications standards.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .