Page 302 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR BERRY: "Rip off the system". So, sick workers rip off the system according to the Liberals.
Mr Kaine: It is the ones that are not sick that rip off the system.
MR BERRY: Sick workers rip off the system, according to the Liberals.
Mr De Domenico: No, you said that; I did not.
MR BERRY: What the Liberals wanted to do was throw sick workers out onto the street, out of their jobs, instead of endorse appropriate rehabilitation processes. I am not going to wear that.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
WORLD HEALTH DAY
Ministerial Statement
Debate resumed from 7 April 1992, on motion by Mr Berry:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mr Berry, by leave) adjourned.
AGENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992
Debate resumed from 9 April 1992, on motion by Ms Follett:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR DE DOMENICO (10.10): Madam Speaker, the Opposition will not be opposing the Bill. The Bill has been discussed extensively and has bipartisan support in the Assembly as well as in the industry as a whole. The Bill, Madam Speaker, puts forward the concept of the fidelity guarantee fund. The fund protects consumers by ensuring that anyone who has moneys on trust in an agent's trust account will get their money back even if the agent has, shall we say, made irregular withdrawals or gone to Rio for an extended holiday. Such funds are a normal part of legislation in other States and it is pleasing to know that there is going to be one here in the ACT as well.
The industry is to be commended because it has taken a responsible view and has been lobbying for such legislation since the Agents Ordinance was first mooted in 1968. The Federal Government at the time promised that the establishment of a fund would follow shortly afterwards. It depends on your definition, Madam Speaker, of "shortly" and your evaluation of that word as to whether this promise has been fulfilled.
The fund will consist of moneys earned from the interest on agents' trust account balances. Up till now the interest was going straight into the pockets of the banks, which is an unfortunate pocket to go into, considering some of the things that some of the banks might do from time to time. They will be the only losers in the establishment of this fund, I believe.
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