Page 2930 - Week 09 - Thursday, 18 August 2005

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become a function of the tribunal. The government’s proposed amendment would allow a new base rental to be determined for an incoming tenant under a will.

Ordinarily, where there is a new tenancy the lessor may accept rental at the commencement of the agreement. The government’s provision will enable the commissioner to make an application to the tribunal to establish a new rental in relation to an incoming tenant under a will, placing the commissioner in the same position in relation to an incoming tenant as in dealing with a new tenant. The government does not support the proposed amendments.

MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra) (4.55): Amendment No 5 proposes to change a term that people are used to and that has been used for a number of years. I do not see any point in changing a term unless some benefit is to be gained. I cannot see any such benefit. In relation to amendment No 6, I again agree with the comments made by the Chief Minister.

DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (4.55): I would just like to sum up in relation to the raft of amendments that I have moved. The Chief Minister rejected every amendment that I moved and implied that they were misguided, naive or unworkable. However, all these amendments were developed in consultation with those who have worked in the area, people who deal with tenants from the Residential Tenancies Tribunal on a regular basis. The impetus for these amendments relates to concerns that community groups have raised with me. Dissatisfaction was expressed following the limited dialogue on the bill that the government was willing to have.

Concerned people who have considerable expertise and who represent those who are likely to be affected by these changes should not be treated with the disdain that was apparent during this debate. We could have saved ourselves a considerable amount of time if the government had developed a better approach to consultation and it was willing to bring people together, listen to their concerns and work through these issues properly rather than just dismissing any views that were not consistent with its position or with the position of its bureaucrats.

Amendments negatived.

Clause 22 agreed to.

Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole and agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Adjournment

Motion by (Mr Stanhope) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.


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