Page 2687 - Week 07 - Thursday, 3 July 2008
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to scrutiny in the public arena. It is also for the protection of those providers out there because it gives them the boundary fence within which they can operate. At the moment, there is nothing and they can be held up for scrutiny and criticism—unjustifiably, we believe—and we need to have a boundary fence within which they work.
Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the department for this process. This is yet another piece of the reform of the public and community housing process that we have undertaken in the last three or four years. It is, in fact, one of the final pieces of reform and I am greatly in the debt of the department for progressing this. I would particularly like to single out David Matthews and Sally Gibson for the work that they have put into this particular piece of legislation. I commend this bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Clause 1.
Debate (on motion by Ms Porter) adjourned to the next sitting.
Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2008
Debate resumed from 6 March 2008, on motion by Mr Corbell:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra) (12:01): The Liberal Party will be supporting this bill. It makes a number of minor and technical amendments to a range of acts and some more substantive amendments to some others. Those amendments clarify and update terminology, repeal redundant provisions, and effect the name change of a government agency. The Essential Services Consumer Council becomes the Energy and Water Consumer Council, in order to more clearly articulate the role of the council. Those are reasonable amendments.
I want to dwell briefly on the more substantive elements, which the Liberal Party will also not oppose. An amendment to the Crimes (Restorative Justice) Act will allow police to refer matters of restorative justice. Currently, the Chief Police Officer is required to refer all matters personally. This will create efficiencies within the police department and, importantly, will enable actioning police to keep in touch with the progress of each case.
A further amendment will enable the Chief Executive of JACS to appoint a non-lawyer as a convenor of a restorative justice conference if the appointee has either completed sufficient legal training—as is currently the case—or has the capacity to
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