Page 2033 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 June 2015
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These changes will allow the government to amend the grant amount without requiring a legislative amendment on each occasion. This amendment will allow the scheme to be administered more efficiently. The grant amount can be appropriately amended to reflect the changing economic requirements of the territory.
By maintaining the first home owner grant, both first home owners and the building sector will continue to be supported. These amended grant values also reflect the prudent choices required to manage the ACT’s budget in the long term. I commend the First Home Owner Grant Amendment Bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Smyth) adjourned to the next sitting.
Liquor Amendment Bill 2015
Mr Corbell, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Capital Metro) (10.22): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
I am pleased to introduce the Liquor Amendment Bill today. The changes made by this bill to the Liquor Act 2010 are an immediate package of reforms in response to the review of the impact of the recent round of reforms of the liquor legislation. Members may remember that the government committed to review the effectiveness of the operation of the Liquor Act two years after the new laws were introduced in December 2010.
The Liquor Act 2010 was the product of a measured and comprehensive approach involving extensive research and broad community, industry and government consultation. The process included the release of a discussion paper in 2008, a final report to the government in 2009 and an exposure draft bill released for public consultation in early 2010.
The Liquor Act 2010 responded to growing concerns within our community and the liquor industry about the antisocial and violent behaviour associated with abuse of alcohol and ongoing concerns about the impact of alcohol consumption on the health and wellbeing of the Canberra community. A new focus in the act when it was enacted in 2010 was on harm minimisation and community safety, which changes the landscape for decision-making under the act.
It includes clear guidance to the regulator, licensees and the community about the purposes and objectives of the act, which are to reduce the overall level of harm caused by the use of alcohol. The two-year review of the act was conducted by an independent consultant from late 2013 to early 2014. The review was informed by empirical literature; consultations with a wide range of key industry, community and government stakeholders; and from a search of data held by agencies.
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