Page 2201 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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transfer of gas distribution regulatory functions to the Australian Energy Regulator and the Australian Energy Market Commission. Another bill will amend the Utilities Act to give effect to the expected transfer of distribution and retail regulation to the national regulatory regime under the national energy market reforms program.
Lastly, proposed new road safety amendments will provide for a nationally consistent and best practice legislative scheme to improve compliance with and enforcement of the road transport laws for heavy vehicles. The provisions will improve road transport safety, minimise adverse impacts on road infrastructure and on the community, and will promote effective and efficient observance of road transport mass and loading laws by making all parties who have a role in the transport of goods or passengers by road responsible for their acts and omissions.
I have covered just some of the initiatives that the government will look to progress in spring 2007. The program reflects the government’s priorities for taking the territory forward, while also continuing to meet the needs and concerns of the community and its wellbeing. I commend the spring 2007 legislation program to the Assembly. I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra—Leader of the Opposition) (3.55): I thank the Chief Minister for the paper and statement. I welcome the program, as we always do. It is obviously important for any government, and the opposition is grateful for the program that the Chief Minister has outlined today.
It is also important—and I have flagged this—for any opposition to keep the legislative book under review. There will always be areas that an opposition will want to change and initiatives that an opposition will want to introduce. It is often the case that an opposition’s bill is defeated, because of philosophical differences between the government and the opposition, maybe for reasons of obstinacy, simply because of the numbers or for other reasons.
On occasions, bills are accepted. I think two of mine have been accepted, and Dr Foskey has had one accepted during this term, so that does occur. Indeed, it will not always be the case that the opposition will support legislation introduced by the government. Sadly though, our views, to the extent that they might differ from those of the government, can only be held on philosophical grounds until the opposition becomes the government. Nevertheless, the opposition have been giving some thought to this matter and we have identified a number of areas which we would like to see considered by the Assembly. I will deal with a number of areas, so they might extend beyond the spring program, but I would like to put them on the record.
These areas take into account the feedback we get from people across the community. They tell us about their needs and how the government may or may not be meeting those needs. They also tell us about areas they are concerned about where the government, for example, is wasting money on philosophical icons. They tell us about their needs, they tell us perhaps about how the government is pursuing an agenda, and that there are other agendas that they would like to see pursued which the government
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