Page 843 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 24 February 2009

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Tuesday, 24 February 2009

MR SPEAKER (Mr Rattenbury) took the chair at 10 am, made a formal recognition that the Assembly was meeting on the lands of the traditional owners, and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Death of Mr David Balfour

Condolence statement by Speaker

MR SPEAKER: Members, on Tuesday, 17 February Senior Firefighter David Balfour of the ACT Fire Brigade was tragically killed by a falling tree while on deployment with an ACT Emergency Services task force undertaking fire-fighting operations to protect the Victorian community following the devastating bushfires in that state. His untimely and tragic death has had a devastating impact on his wife, children and family, his colleagues in the ACT Fire Brigade and across the emergency services.

As a mark of respect for the ultimate sacrifice Senior Firefighter Balfour paid in serving out his creed as a professional who was always there to help others in their time of need, and as an expression of condolence and deepest sympathy to his wife, children, family, friends and colleagues at this time, I invite all members to rise in their places.

Members rising in their places—

MR SPEAKER: I thank members.

Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 (No 2)

Debate resumed from 11 December 2008, on motion by Ms Gallagher:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (10.03): On behalf of Mr Smyth, who is not with us at the moment, I rise to support the Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill. This is principally a bill that deals with some technical matters. It does two things: it clarifies the application of the Duties Act 1999 to situations where a motor vehicle is re-registered and it extends the way in which the first home owner grant can be repaid.

With respect to the re-registering of motor vehicles, it is intended that where a vehicle has been registered in another jurisdiction and duty has been paid in that jurisdiction, no duty will be paid when the vehicle is presented to the ACT for re-registration. On the other hand, where a vehicle has been exempt from or not liable for duty in another jurisdiction but the vehicle is liable for duty in the ACT, the duty will have to be paid when the vehicle is presented for re-registration. The beautiful simplicity of this amendment is that it is affected by the insertion of a new example in the act.

The amendments in relation to the first home owner scheme are a little more, but not much more, complex. These amendments provide for the commissioner to have the


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