Page 401 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 20 February 2018
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also survivors. I wholeheartedly support their view that there should not be two classes of survivor under the scheme. I will keep representing that view in helping design it. The ACT will keep working to ensure that the scheme measures up and that the territory is ready to participate in it and has all the necessary support in place.
MS CODY: Minister, can you provide information about how the government has already implemented changes in line with the royal commission’s findings to support survivors of abuse?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Cody for the supplementary question. The ACT government has engaged throughout the process of the royal commission and has implemented the changes that the commission has suggested already.
Canberra has been a leader in adopting new legislation to ensure fairness for survivors of assault in the court processes. The ACT introduced the use of pre-recorded interviews for child witnesses to a sexual offence in 2008. In May 2017, the use of pre-recorded witness interviews as evidence in chief was expanded to all sexual offences.
Our civil laws relating to compensation for historical sex abuse were brought into line with the royal commission’s findings in two stages. From May 2017, there is now no time limit on suing for personal injury compensation in relation to child sexual abuse. The ACT will continue to work hard to ensure that the court processes stay oriented around supporting survivors and securing a just outcome for them.
Taxation—payroll tax waivers
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, the recent tax expenditure statement reports five payroll tax waivers in 2015-16 totalling $2,164,000. Treasurer, which entities were the beneficiaries of these waivers?
MR BARR: For the privacy of taxpayers, those entities were not disclosed. There are, of course, some that I think have already been on the public record in relation to the fact that their performance agreements with government do include a payroll tax waiver. Without naming them, I would suggest that local football teams would be amongst those.
MS LAWDER: Treasurer, did the waivers place any conditions on the recipients, including about investment or job creation, in order to receive the waiver?
MR BARR: Yes, generally speaking there are a variety of different requirements in order to receive a waiver. The two that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has mentioned are among those. In relation to sporting teams, that can also be a requirement to play all of their games in Canberra. That is certainly the case for the Raiders and the Brumbies.
MR COE: Treasurer, what is the value of payroll tax waivers for this financial year, and have any entities outside sporting teams received waivers in successive years, that is, the same organisation at least two years in a row?
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