Page 3259 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 16 August 2011
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bill will update, consolidate, reorganise and discard redundant provisions existing across the statute book as a consequence of the ACT’s new Evidence Act 2011.
Finally, the Corrections Management Amendment Bill will address a number of offender management provisions in the Crimes (Sentencing) Act 2005, the Crimes (Sentence Administration) Act 2005 and the Corrections Management Act 2007 to resolve specific operational issues identified by ACT Corrective Services, including the Sentence Administration Board.
The government is committed to protecting the health of children and assisting vulnerable young people. To guard children from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, legislation will be introduced to make it an offence to smoke in a car when children under the age of 16 are present. The government is concerned about children’s exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in certain environments, a concern which is shared by other Australian jurisdictions. Environmental tobacco smoke generally affects children more during their development and is a recognised risk factor for the development or worsening of asthma. It also increases the risks of other illnesses such as pneumonia, bronchitis, middle ear infection and even cancer in later life. The Smoking in Cars with Children (Prohibition) Bill 2011 will protect those who cannot protect themselves by regulating for a safer environment when children are in the car with a smoker.
Amendments are also to be made to the Children and Young People Act 2008 so that vulnerable young people leaving out-of-home care can receive ongoing assistance and support to the age of 25. This involves young people who have been in foster care, kinship care or residential care. These changes will assist young people to access appropriate services for their changing needs as they move into adulthood.
In regard to sustainability, the Energy Efficiency (Retail Obligation Scheme) Bill 2011 will amend the Utilities Act 2000 by creating additional conditions for existing retailers licensed under the act. The legislation will impose an obligation on ACT electricity retailers to undertake prescribed energy efficiency and related measures. A second proposed bill will implement an expanded feed-in tariff to encompass large-scale renewable energy generation under the act.
Other separate changes are to be made to the Utilities Act to give a sound legislative base for technical and safety regulation of utility services. These will clarify the purpose, legislative interpretation and application to technical regulation to ensure the long-term serviceability of utility networks and the deployment of technical skills and systems for delivery and maintenance. Additionally, the role of technical regulator is to be established. It will define the role of the minister under the act in administering technical regulations and provide the minister with the power to determine fees and approve forms.
The regulation of the construction industry is to be enhanced by the government. The Construction Amendment Bill 2011 will harmonise and integrate the territory’s system for construction work and improve operability in regulating the industry. The bill has four main aspects and amends numerous pieces of legislation. The amendments include clarifying provisions relating to offences under the Building Act
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