Page 2011 - Week 07 - Thursday, 13 August 2020
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any changes are required once we have got this further down the track. It is important legislation for seniors in the Canberra community. That is why the Canberra Liberals are supporting this legislation today.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (5.46): The Greens will be supporting this bill and the government amendments. When this was first tabled in the Assembly in May, it gathered a lot of concern from the community members and organisations who had not been consulted in the lead-up, particularly the disability sector. This is largely because, I assume, the consultation process undertaken to explore strengthening responses to elder abuse resulted in a large quantity of submissions, including from me, asking the government to extend any increased protections to all vulnerable adults, not just elderly people. Sadly, the submissions in that consultation process have not been made public. That is a step the ACT government should have taken to ensure transparency and to maintain a level of trust with the community.
I was pleased to learn that considerable consultation took place with the disability sector after the tabling of the bill and that the amendments the government has tabled today are indicative of the feedback provided.
Today is another opportunity to recognise and be thankful for the strong advocacy provided by Sue Salthouse, who I believe was working on this in her final days. On Tuesday at her state memorial, which I had the privilege of attending, the notion of the ripple effect of her work was described. This is a perfect example of that. People that she never knew will benefit from her work well into the future because of her rigour.
Because this legislation engages a number of human rights, it is right that we do whatever we can to ensure that there are no unintended consequences and that it achieves the increased protections that are desired for vulnerable people in the ACT. That is why I welcome the government amendments to delay the enactment of this legislation for eight months. This interim period is a crucial time that must be used effectively to ensure that vulnerable people, those who care for them and the relevant organisations, institutions and corporations who are stakeholders in this space are informed and educated about the legislation and its impacts. In this way, once the act commences, appropriate action can be taken because people will understand how it works and will know what to do. This includes ensuring that information is provided in accessible ways and reaches Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural communities as well as people with disability and our seniors.
Equally important is the amendment to bring forward the review date to as soon as practicable after the end of the first 12 months of operation, as opposed to two years. That first 12 months should provide sufficient time to identify at least the most significant deficiencies in the legislation. I am not suggesting that I know what they are; I am just saying that if they do exist, 12 months should be a reasonable time to look at it, rather than waiting for two years, which might be too late if there is something that really needs acting on.
What is important but is not legislated is that proper transparent and broad consultation should occur with all stakeholders when undertaking that statutory
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