Page 3611 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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These changes assist in ensuring that the overall structure of the ACT statute book is cohesive and consistent and is developed to reflect best practice.
The JACS bill does contain more substantive amendments but I must stress that, while they are substantive, they are in no way contentious in nature. I think that members would agree that the amendments are sensible and necessary to ensure that the legislation operates effectively and in a manner consistent with the government’s intention.
The amendments to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2008 clarify an ambiguity in the act relating to the appointment of presidential and non-presidential members to the tribunal. The amendments ensure certainty in relation to the way in which appointments can be made and therefore improve the operation of the act.
The amendments to the Magistrates Court Act 1930 also provide clarity and improve the operation of the act in relation to how the court can respond to an accused person failing to appear on summons. In this instance, government identified a gap in the law and has acted swiftly to remedy the situation. The solution has been carefully drafted to ensure consistency with existing procedures under the act, with no impact on the human rights of an accused person.
The amendments in this bill are largely minor in their effect. Taken together as a whole, though, the bill is an important part of the government’s efforts to ensure that the law of the territory is clearer and more easily accessed.
I take the opportunity to commend the officers of the Department of Justice and Community Safety for not only the work that they put in on these omnibus bills but also the diligence with which they apply themselves to the task. Sometimes when you look through legislation it can be mind-numbingly boring and it takes a special talent for people to make sense of this sort of task.
I am happy to stand in the shadow of those people who take this on as a challenge. They do a brilliant job. I have seen JACS bills and SLAB bills come into this place inches thick. It takes an incredible legal mind to put it all into a context and to see it all in that context. To that end I congratulate the officers of the department. I think they do an absolutely brilliant job. I commend this bill to the Assembly.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.32), in reply: I thank members for their support of this bill. Can I at the outset echo the comments of my colleague Mr Hargreaves and thank officers of the department for the ongoing work they do in relation to these important updates to the ACT statute book.
The bill is the 25th bill in a series of legislation that concerns the Justice and Community Safety portfolio. True to its nature as an omnibus bill, it will improve the quality of the statute book overall.
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