Page 3126 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 20 September 1994

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Of the 16 amendments, eight have arisen because of the passage last week of certain Acts and the proposed commencement of the provisions prior to the commencement of the provisions in this Bill. Those Acts were the Bookmakers (Amendment) Act (No. 2) 1994, the Electricity (Amendment) Act 1994, the Nurses (Amendment) Act 1994, the Physiotherapists (Amendment) Act 1994 and the Veterinary Surgeons (Amendment) Act 1994. Of the remaining eight amendments, four relate to the commencement in June of new provisions in respect of the Rates and Land (Relief) Act 1970 and the Public Health (Cancer Reporting) Regulations.

Two of the amendments relate to the provisions in the Taxation Administration (Amendment) Bill 1994, which is currently before the Assembly. The amendments to the Bill have been drafted on the basis that the provisions in the Taxation Administration (Amendment) Bill will commence first. However, I am advised that the provisions in the Bill, as amended, could commence first, provided Government amendments were made to the Taxation Administration (Amendment) Bill.

The other two amendments concern the Agents Act 1968 and the Public Health (Prohibited Drugs) Act 1957. An amendment has been made to the Agents Act to allow an appeal to be made to the ACT Administrative Appeals Tribunal from the decision of the Agents Board in respect of the employment by registered or licensed agents of certain persons disqualified under the Agents Act. That, in effect, was an appeal point that we had not been aware of and had not come to light. While we are going through this exercise, we think it is better to ensure that that appeal point is in. The other is an amendment that was made to the Public Health (Prohibited Drugs) Act to allow for the notification of persons whose interests are affected by decisions reviewable by the AAT. This notification process will have to be in accordance with the new code of practice which is provided for in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 1994.

I present the explanatory supplementary memorandum for the amendments. As I say, Madam Speaker, with the exception of those last two, they all come about because of the passage of time and the way in which different Bills move through this place at different speeds.

MR HUMPHRIES (3.42): Madam Speaker, I should indicate to the Minister that I did, in fact, get a copy of his amendments. I am not sure exactly when, but I did get a copy of them. I apologise for suggesting that I did not. The amendments are all acceptable as far as the Opposition is concerned.

Amendments agreed to.

Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.


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