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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 2107 ..
MS GALLAGHER (continuing):
The other change that would be made by the bill is to expand the group of accountants who can certify wage and salary declarations made by employers to their insurers. Under provisions passed by the Assembly that came into operation on 1 July 2002, only a registered auditor can certify a wage and salary declaration. A registered auditor is an auditor that meets the requirements of the federal Corporations Act.
Due to changes in the auditing and accounting profession that have occurred over the last two years since the provisions were passed by the Assembly, there are now very few auditors practising in the territory that meet this definition and insufficient numbers to certify wage and salary declarations for all ACT businesses over the coming months. In effect, if the act is not amended to allow other accounting professionals to certify wage and salary declarations, many ACT businesses will be unable to comply with their obligations under the act and may be exposed, through no fault of their own, to penalties and sanctions. The attached bill would amend the act to allow accountants who are members of one of the three main accounting bodies to certify wage and salary declarations.
I seek members' support for this bill which will ensure that ACT workers continue to be fully protected in the event of a terrorist attack and ensure that ACT businesses do not inadvertently breach their workers compensation obligations due to a shortage of qualified auditors in the territory.
Mr Speaker, I ask the Assembly to note the Workers Compensation Bill 2003 and the explanatory notes to the bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr Pratt) adjourned to the next sitting.
Privileges- Select Committee
Proposed appointment
Mr Smyth, in accordance with standing order 128, fixed the next day of sitting for the moving of this motion.
Executive Business
Ordered that executive business be called on.
Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2003
Discharge
MR QUINLAN
(Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism and Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming) (11.02): Pursuant to standing order 152, I move:That order of the day No 1, executive business, be discharged from the notice paper.
Mr Speaker, I will shortly seek leave to present a replacement bill which is effectively a reduced version of the original bill. The original bill included a security duty, a duty that has given rise to some conjecture, let me say, and I have agreed with stakeholders within
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