Page 6079 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 2010
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to properly consider the issues highlighted in the five pages of the scrutiny report. If the practicality of this bill worries Ms Hunter, I will introduce an amendment bill next year. We look forward to working with the government and the Greens in this regard.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (12.09): As I foreshadowed, the government will be supporting these amendments. In relation to the first one around police certificates, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship hold a list of those countries from which a police certificate may be gained. They also provide advice on what must be done if either the country is not listed or it is not possible to obtain the certificate. The institute will be satisfied that the applicant can show that they have made every endeavour to obtain a certificate but were unable to do so. The government will support that amendment.
We also recognise that, in seeking to strike a balance, Ms Hunter’s subsequent amendments provide that the public register will only contain a teacher’s name and level of registration. If the teacher is not registered or does not hold a permit to teach, then their name does not need to be on the public register. A parent could still find out whether their teacher does not hold a current teaching licence, but an individual teacher’s privacy would be respected. The government will be supporting these amendments.
Amendments agreed to.
Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.
Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Planning and Development (Environmental Impact Statements) Amendment Bill 2010
Debate resumed from 18 November 2010, on motion by Mr Barr:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (12.11): The Canberra Liberals will be supporting this bill. It is our view, after our consultation with industry, that the bill will improve the Planning and Development Act by reducing in some circumstances the amount of red tape that is required for some developments. Through a series of amendments, it will mean that developments are assessed on actual impact and less so on arbitrary estimates.
The main purpose of this bill is to refine triggers for development activities that will require an environmental impact statement. As noted in the explanatory statement, the amendments are aimed at ensuring that only developments which are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment will require an EIS. It will do this in part by redefining certain developments, effectively shifting them from being considered under the impact track to the merit track.
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