Page 5641 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 November 2010
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allow the Public Trustee to provide certified copies to the courts, minimising the need to handle and risk damaging originals. These changes will improve the efficiency of administering the Public Trustee’s depository of wills and its powers of attorney.
Amendments to the Legal Profession Act introduce a simple change to the process for licensing barristers. The amendments will require the Law Society, which currently issues barristers’ practising certificates, to impose any conditions recommended by the Bar Council. This ensures effective regulation of the bar by its peak body.
Another important function of this bill is to help implement national reforms in the territory. To that effect, amendments to schedule 3 of the Personal Property Securities Act will repeal provisions relating to cooperative charges under the Cooperatives Act 2002. The territory’s registration of cooperative charges will be made redundant by the commencement of the commonwealth personal properties security register.
National reforms to the Security Industry Act are also included in this bill. In July 2008, COAG agreed that a reform of the private security industry would be conducted to improve industry standards. Stage 1 reforms include standards covering licensable activities, probity and background checking, training competencies and mobility of licenses.
This bill implements a number of stage one reforms, including new licensable activities relating to guarding with a dog, guarding with a firearm and guarding as a monitoring centre operator. These amendments will bring the ACT into line with the guarding activities licensed in other Australian jurisdictions and therefore facilitate cross-jurisdictional recognition of licences.
The bill updates the Security Industry Regulation in accordance with these amendments. The changes to the regulation prescribe the training courses security employees will need to undertake to perform the new licensable activities. These training requirements are in accordance with minimum standards agreed to by COAG.
The bill also provides for a temporary visitor licence scheme. A temporary visitor licence will allow guards and master licensees from interstate to work at special events in the territory. This change will facilitate greater mobility in the security industry. At the same time it will regulate those who visit the ACT to engage in security work for special events.
Finally, the bill repeals part 4 of the Unclaimed Money Act. These provisions have become redundant due to recent amendments to the Commonwealth Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999. The collection and distribution of unclaimed superannuation will now become a function performed by the commonwealth.
All these amendments will improve, update and clarify the territory statute book. This bill once again demonstrates the government’s ability to monitor the administration of the territory’s laws and respond effectively where areas for improvement are identified. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Dunne) adjourned to the next sitting.
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