Page 4476 - Week 14 - Thursday, 28 November 2013
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which is an extremely difficult level of proof to demonstrate and prove beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore changing this provision will ensure that no such proof is required, bringing the ACT into line with other jurisdictions.
These are important changes. There is a range of other changes in the bill. I think it is appropriate that when there are a multitude of relatively small, discrete but nevertheless important proposals put forward by justice stakeholders to our criminal law, they are dealt with in a manner like in this bill. It is certainly a much more expedient way to go about it. As long as the details and the issues at play are spelt out comprehensively, as they have been in this case, both in the presentation speech and in the briefing subsequently provided to members, I do not think there can be, realistically, any serious objection to undertaking amendments in this way. I thank members for their support and commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Heavy Vehicle National Law (ACT) Bill 2013
Debate resumed from 24 October 2013, on motion by Ms Burch:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (5.40): The opposition is pleased to support the Heavy Vehicle National Law (ACT) Bill 2013. The bill is an application act to bring ACT regulation for heavy vehicles into line with the national approach. It is accompanied by the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013. This bill has been brought to the Assembly to ensure that the ACT fulfils its commitments under the Council of Australian Governments intergovernmental agreement on heavy vehicle regulatory reform.
This bill, along with the consequential amendments bill, allows the application of the heavy vehicle national law in the ACT. It also allows the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to regulate heavy vehicle activities in the ACT, even though it is located in Queensland. After the current intergovernmental agreement was reached, the national heavy vehicle law was enacted by the Queensland parliament. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have subsequently adopted the laws, but they have not yet commenced.
Legislation to allow the adoption of the national law is currently being developed in the Northern Territory. Western Australia has not signed the intergovernmental agreement but is expected to implement laws similar to the national laws soon. The national law applies to all vehicles with a gross vehicle mass over four and a half tonnes. It consolidates modern laws for heavy vehicles that have been adopted and
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