Page 2431 - Week 08 - Thursday, 6 August 2015
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Importantly, it will fulfil the purpose of the legislation as expressed through clause 6, which details the statutory object of the bill—to ensure that veterinary services focus on the welfare and protection of animals, ensure the provision of professional and competent services and ensure that occupational discipline mechanisms are in place to address acts of unprofessional or incompetent conduct. These are important steps. Future steps, I agree, will be needed. I look forward to discussion of those with the Assembly when that progress is made—as well as in consultation with the profession.
I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Road Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
Debate resumed from 14 May 2015, on motion by Mr Rattenbury:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.45): I indicate at the outset that the opposition will be supporting this bill in principle but we have a concern with one part of this bill and will not be supporting the late notice amendment that the minister has circulated. The Road Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 makes a number of amendments to the ACT road transport legislation and the Crimes Act 1900 to improve road safety and improve the administration and enforcement of the road transport legislation. That is the aim.
The bill does a number of things. It creates a new offence for drinking alcohol while driving a vehicle. It amends the offence relating to burnouts to include other similar antisocial or dangerous driving behaviours, exempts police recruits undergoing driver training from having to comply with specified aspects of the road transport legislation to allow police recruits to receive necessary driver training, and allows for seizure of vehicles by notice to surrender—this will provide a more flexible and efficient means by which vehicles are subject to existing seizure provisions.
It provides for an alternative verdict for the offence of culpable driving of a motor vehicle, to enable a finding of guilt for a lesser driving offence. It allows certificate evidence about whether an area is a road or a road-related area, which will support a more efficient criminal justice system by avoiding the need for the owner or manager of land to attend court in person to provide evidence that the land is or is not used for driving, riding or parking of vehicles. It bans the use of bicycles powered by an internal combustion engine on a road or road-related area. I indicate this is the area that we are concerned about.
Finally, as I mentioned, the government has circulated and advised a late notice amendment to the bill that provides that the Road Transport Authority is prevented
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