Page 3610 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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relevant federal regulations are the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956. We are satisfied there are good practical reasons for this amendment.
In conclusion, this bill makes important but uncontroversial amendments to the ACT statute book and the Greens support the bill.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (10.26): I rise today in support of this bill and to acknowledge the significant role that JACS bills play in improving the overall quality of the ACT statute book so that our laws are kept up to date and are easier to find, read and understand. A well-maintained statute book greatly enhances access to ACT legislation and is a very practical measure to give effect to the principle that members of the community have a right to know the laws that affect them.
The government generally uses two types of omnibus bills to effect change to the ACT statute book: JACS bills and statute law amendment bills—or SLABs, as they are more commonly known. It does sound like something out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, doesn’t it?
Mr Hanson: Are you Frank N Furter, mate?
MR HARGREAVES: I was borrowing your stockings to do it with, Jeremy! The omnibus bill program was developed in response to the need for greater flexibility in the drafting of amendments for revision purposes and to minimise costs associated with keeping ACT legislation up to date.
Omnibus bills enable legislative amendments and repeals to be made that, taken alone, would generally be insufficiently important to justify separate legislation. SLABs are designed to make minor and technical amendments to legislation. They are an important part of maintaining and enhancing the standard of ACT law. The amendments that are typically included in SLABs are purely technical, involving the correction of grammatical issues, restructuring, omitting redundant words and updating language in line with current legislative drafting practice. SLABs are never used as a vehicle to enact substantive amendments.
JACS bills, on the other hand, which have always been used to make more substantive changes to the law than SLABs, also allow government to be responsive to community and stakeholder concerns, thereby delivering on the government’s commitment to be alert to the territory’s changing needs and attitudes.
A large proportion of the amendments in the bill for debate today are typical of amendments which are usually seen in SLABs. Indeed, the majority of the amendments in this bill replicate amendments which have been made in previous SLABs. These are the amendments to 16 acts and regulations, which apply the new definition of “bankrupt” or “personally insolvent” to legislation across the Justice and Community Safety portfolio.
Amendments are also made to update the language used in the Prostitution Act 1992. Again, these amendments are similar in nature to those found in SLABs. The amendments ensure that language in the act is consistent with terminology used in Australian national policy.
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