Page 1309 - Week 04 - Thursday, 30 March 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The act is being amended to ensure alignment with the 2015 amendments to the commonwealth Gene Technology Act 2000. In order to comply with the provisions of the agreement, all jurisdictions should introduce appropriate amendments to their legislation to ensure a nationally consistent scheme. The amendments to the act are relatively minor and draw upon the practical experiences of the Gene Technology Regulator and are designed to improve the efficiency of the gene technology regulatory scheme.
In summary, the amendments include: discontinuing quarterly reporting to the minister—annual reporting will continue; clarifying which dealings may be authorised by inadvertent dealings licences; updating advertising requirements for public consultations; removing information about genetically modified products authorised by other agencies from the record of GMO and GM product dealings maintained by the Gene Technology Regulator; changing licence variation requirements to provide greater flexibility for licence holders; updating the considerations required before dealings may be scheduled as notifiable low risk dealings; and clarifying ambiguous wording.
These amendments will ensure that the ACT government meets its obligations under the agreement and enhance the administrative efficiency of the gene technology scheme. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Dunne) adjourned to the next sitting.
Firearms Amendment Bill 2017
Mr Gentleman, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Urban Renewal) (10.29): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
The Firearms Amendment Bill 2017 amends the Firearms Act 1996 to reclassify lever action shotguns. Currently, lever action shotguns are category A firearms. The amendments in the bill change lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of up to five rounds to category B, and those with magazine capacity of more than five rounds to category D.
These changes affirm the fundamental principles supporting the regulation of firearms in Australia—widely accepted by the community—that firearm possession and use is a privilege that is conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety. Under our regulatory scheme, public safety is improved by the safe and responsible possession, carriage, use, registration, storage and transfer of firearms.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video