Page 991 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 31 March 1993
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Preparation of the present report has involved a systematic review of each of the eight reports of the ACT Law Reform Commission, to identify law reform initiatives that remain relevant within the ACT context and to recommend suitable action. A similar review of those reports of the New South Wales Law Reform Commission stemming from references received since 1982 was also conducted. The report has identified a wide range of relevant initiatives, including reorganisation of some ACT laws to make the law more accessible and certain, conveyancing law, civil law, artificial conception, disposal of uncollected goods, dividing fences and jury law, among many others. The report recommends four main approaches: Matters which might be remedied by simple legislative action; matters which should be examined within a later cycle of the law reform program; matters which might be referred to or considered by the ACT Community Law Reform Committee; and matters where no further action is required within the law review program.
Madam Speaker, while much of the report deals with uncontentious matters, I would ask members of the Assembly to carefully consider this report - particularly the amusing bits which some of them seem to have discovered - as the breadth of its subject matter has the potential to affect the interests of many people in the Canberra community. Consequently, the Government proposes to leave the report on the table for the next two months, to ensure that members have adequate time to study it. In conjunction with this scrutiny by the Assembly, I have asked the Law Reform Unit of my department to call for community comments on the proposals set out in the report. Legislative action to implement the report's recommendations will not proceed until after careful consideration of all comments received. Madam Speaker, this Labor Government is committed to ensuring that the ACT has the most clear and accessible laws in Australia. The law review program is an important tool in the development of such laws.
Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.
BANKING PRACTICES
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MADAM SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Mr Stevenson proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The unnecessary hardships caused to many Canberrans and the ACT business community because of unethical banking practices.
MR STEVENSON (3.08): Madam Speaker, banks in Australia have a great deal to answer for. Rather than being helped by institutions which in our parents' time were seen as virtually public benevolent or public service organisations, people in the ACT today are being placed under extreme hardship because of unethical bank activities. Many are being hounded out of business by private institutions which are not just hungry for the dollar on behalf of their shareholders but obviously are quite prepared to act illegally and immorally in the process of obtaining as many of their clients' dollars as they can. Quite apart from the usurious interest rates which are charged in a totally unconscionable way, there are quite a number of other scams which the banks use to become parasites on the back of this community.
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