Page 1593 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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legislative guidance on the qualifications required for such an appointment. I also wondered why the director-general could not be appointed when powers of delegation are in place and when the director-general could call on expert advice when required.
I have made two sets of inquiries. The first was at the attorney’s invitation, in his presentation speech, to approach the PCO. Upon inquiring with the PCO, they have said that it is standard drafting practice. When asked why the under treasurer could not be appointed through legislation, they responded that the under treasurer is not generally a recognised position when it comes to this kind of legislative drafting.
The matter was also raised with the attorney’s office and he has provided a comprehensive response. If anybody wishes to have a copy of that, I can provide it to them. His response has satisfied me to the point where I am comfortable with supporting the legislation.
Schedule 2 makes minor, non-controversial amendments to the Legislation Act 2001 initiated by the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office. In this schedule four sections of the Legislation Act 2001 are amended in the same way, simply omitting the gazette as an example of a place where parliamentary counsel can notify legislation when it is impractical to do so in the legislation register. It is redundant because the gazette itself is now published in the legislation register.
Schedule 3 carries a range of minor technical amendments that are initiated by the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office and which are non-controversial. They involve the correction of minor errors, updating language, improving syntax, minor consequential amendments and other minor changes. This bill amends 55 acts and regulations.
The SLAB also includes provision for a schedule 4, to make routine repeals, but no legislation is repealed in this bill. That is not to say that it should not be and that there will not be more coming. I certainly welcome the reduction in unneeded and duplicated legislation or regulation, and I commend PCO for their efforts in tidying up the legislation that has been presented today. These are good steps, and I look forward to seeing, hopefully, more initiatives containing a schedule 4, repealing legislation that is unnecessary. Well done to the PCO for their work, and I look forward to supporting this legislation.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.21): This bill makes minor and technical amendments to a range of ACT acts and regulations. The amendments are non-controversial, and on behalf of the Greens I am happy to support the bill.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Capital Metro) (11.21), in reply: Madam Deputy Speaker, may I say that it is good to see you back in the chair after your absence last week.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you.
MR CORBELL: This bill carries on with the technical amendments program that continues to develop a simpler, more coherent and accessible statute book for the
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