Page 5873 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 7 December 2010
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remaining amendments brought in this omnibus legislation are, in fact, of a minor, non-consequential nature that do not change overall policy but do introduce efficiencies.
An amendment to the Crimes Act inserts into the offence provisions of the act the definition of anabolic steroids currently standing in the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 as a transitional provision, thus making it permanent.
The amendment to the Guardianship and Management of Property Act is part of a national approach to narrow the offence liabilities of officers of a corporation that commits an offence. Currently the liability extends to offences of the corporation against the act as a whole. This amendment would limit the liability to offences relating to ACAT injunctions to restrain dealings.
The Human Rights Commission Act 2005 is amended to allow the commission to deal with complaints made orally if the commission is satisfied as to exceptional circumstances. Under another amendment, the commissioner has more flexibility in dealing with complaints that are unlikely to succeed in conciliation. Currently, the commissioner must close the complaint and the parties can only resolve it in the ACAT. This amendment will enable the commissioner to deal with it by other means—for example, referring it to another entity or investigate it in the commission and issue a report.
Amendments to the Land Titles Act 1925 and the Unit Titles Act 2001 allow an owners corporation to step into the shoes of the unit owner in certain circumstances when there is a lease renewal.
The Legal Profession Act 2006 is amended to clarify that the licensing body—the ACT Law Society—must impose conditions on a barrister’s practising certificate if the bar council agrees to or recommends such a condition. An amendment to the Personal Property and Security Act 2010 repeals provisions in the Cooperatives Act relating to the register of cooperative charges because that register is now maintained by the commonwealth under previous changes in this Assembly.
The Public Trustee Act 1985 is amended to allow the Public Trustee to keep a register of wills and enduring powers of attorney in a form that the Public Trustee considers appropriate, including electronically.
Finally, there is an amendment to the Unclaimed Money Act that repeals part 4, relating to unclaimed superannuation benefits, as this now is managed by the commonwealth.
In conclusion, I repeat that the laziness of the Attorney-General and the ACT Labor government is culpable in the passage of this bill. It is demonstrated by the lack of business in the Assembly this year and it is demonstrated by the apparent urgency of activity in the last weeks of this sitting when there are potentially millions of dollars at stake in COAG incentive payments. It is demonstrated by their sheer arrogance, treating other members of this Assembly and, worse, the business community and the
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