Page 439 - Week 02 - Thursday, 14 May 1992
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I believe that uniform rules of the road will have significant benefits for the ACT, and Mr Westende touched on some of those. The most obvious one is that it will reduce the risk of accidents caused by people not knowing or having a different understanding of the rules of the roads. I believe that it will also promote a more efficient transport industry and will certainly remove the problems that arise with differing regulatory regimes between States. I think it will also be of assistance to tourists and to interstate travellers, and we trust that it will also be an attraction for that particular industry.
Madam Speaker, to address Mr Stevenson's remarks very briefly, the ACT is in a special position here in that it is possible for the Commonwealth to legislate for us. On this occasion, as with the heavy vehicle scheme, by passing this motion we are acceding to the Commonwealth's request to do that. It is an action that, really, only we can take and that will be of benefit to the rest of the nation.
As I say, Madam Speaker, I thank members for their support and I will be very pleased to sign the agreement, once the Assembly has given consent, and to advise the Federal Government, the Federal Parliament, that they can legislate in the way in which they have requested.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
BAIL BILL 1992
[COGNATE BILL:
BAIL (CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 1992]
Debate resumed from 9 April 1992, on motion by Mr Connolly:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MADAM SPEAKER: Is it the wish of the Assembly to debate this order of the day concurrently with the Bail (Consequential Amendments) Bill 1992? There being no objection, that course will be followed. I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 2 they may also address their remarks to order of the day No. 3.
MR HUMPHRIES (10.50): The Attorney-General, in presenting this Bill, said:
The Bail Bill is the most significant criminal law reform ever put before this Assembly.
Although possibly my former colleague Mr Stefaniak, the father of things such as move-on powers and dry areas in shopping centres, might disagree with that, I think that at least we have here a very significant reform to the criminal law of the ACT. We can all be pleased that a Bill of this kind is before the Assembly and will, I hope, be enacted into law today.
Madam Speaker, the Bill comprehensively deals with an issue which has been best described as murky for some considerable time in this Territory. To take the definition which appears in clause 3 of the Bill:
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