Page 3665 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 September 2018
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office by way of some expanded information and fact sheets on some of the changes, particularly relating to the Associations Incorporation Act.
This bill amends, as I said in my opening remarks, many acts with references to the compulsory use or allowed use of what have now become outdated communications measures, such as the fax, hence my reference to the death of these technologies. It is great to see that in 2018 we can now accept an email.
A number of acts as well as the Associations Incorporation Act have a number of further amendments. These fall in a wide and varied range of policy and portfolio areas, including the Traders (Licensing Act), Sale of Motor Vehicles Act, Land Titles Act, Nature Conservation Act, Planning and Development Act, Liquor Act, Liquor Regulation, Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act, and Casino Control Act.
It is crucial that we move with the times and adjust our legislation accordingly, and this bill seems to be moving in the right direction in this pursuit. Again, I reiterate that any legislative changes brought to this place that aim at reducing costs and streamlining the regulatory burden on business and the community are supported by the opposition. We would like to see more of these brought forward. But every time the government does bring one of these measures in we are cautious as to who the winners and the losers might be.
We always check the fine print and ensure that there are no unintended consequences. However, we do agree that this bill incorporates some necessary changes that will enhance the legislative framework that it seeks to amend. The opposition will be supporting the bill.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (11.42): I rise today in support of the red tape reduction bill, although I note, as Mr Wall did, that it in itself is full of red tape. It is amending over 14 acts, regulations and instruments. Our biggest issue with this bill is simply its title; it is arguably not really red tape reduction. Nonetheless, the changes that are made are positive changes, so the Greens are supporting this however-named bill.
First—and the thing that I will speak most about—is the amendments proposed to the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 and associated regulations, as this is where the bulk of the amendments will take effect. I point out first of all that the name of this bill, particularly in this instance, does not help the community in any way understand the implications of the bill. Given that the majority of the substantial amendments relate to incorporated associations, it would have made more sense to separate these provisions and have a separate bill, better allowing the community sector—which is, of course, largely composed of incorporated associations—to be properly aware of the bill.
Having said this, the proposed amendments do make a lot of sense and, whilst many are minor in nature, together they will streamline processes for incorporated associations. Things like not having to report a change of public officer to the ACT Registrar-General if you are reporting to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the ACNC, and having alternatives to using a common
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