Page 3533 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 12 September 2017
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Schedule 2 contains minor, non-controversial, structural amendments of the Legislation Act 2001, and they have been initiated by the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office. Schedule 2 amends the Legislation Act, section 8, to omit a reference to “by-law” in the definition of “subordinate law” because no by-laws have been made in the ACT since self-government. By-laws do typically operate most often in relation to local government laws. In the ACT the most common type of subordinate laws are regulations, which are made by the executive. These amendments remove references to by-laws, and related amendments are also made elsewhere in the act and in the Legislation Regulation 2003. These changes provide clarity and will avoid confusion about whether by-laws exist in the territory.
Finally, schedule 3 contains minor or technical amendments of legislation initiated by the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office. The explanatory notes in the text of the bill explain what each of the changes does, and for the most part they are things like correcting cross-references.
I welcome the Assembly’s support for the technical amendments program. Our shared support for this bill represents a commitment to maintaining a contemporary, practical and relevant ACT statute book and, despite what may appear to some to be technical and potentially dry, as has been noted SLABs may even be exciting and delighting. They are certainly important for the ongoing quality of our legislation. Because of that, I would like to express my appreciation to those who work behind the scenes on legislation such as this. Primarily I would like to express my thanks to the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office, who are working regularly on amendments that find their way into SLABs.
Additionally, in this bill the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate has worked in relation to the City Renewal Authority amendments, and the Justice and Community Safety Directorate has worked on the residential tenancy amendments. They may be dry but indeed they are valuable. I 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.
Sitting suspended from 12.04 to 2.30 pm.
Question time—rules for asking questions
Statement by Speaker
MADAM SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition to ask the first question without notice, I would like to make a brief comment. Members will be aware that there are several standing orders that govern the operations of question
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