Page 1866 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010
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legislation. This time around we are to amend just over 30. It may be that through the ongoing process of SLAB bills we are eliminating mistakes in the statute book and, if that is the case, that is indeed a useful outcome. Irrespective of the reason for this relatively brief SLAB bill, I think its benefit in general is clear and well known.
I would like to provide one simple example of the amendments made today which I think demonstrates their worth. The amendment is to the Road Transport (Third-Party Insurance) Act 2008 and was initiated by the responsible department. The amendment clarifies a previously uncertain piece of the law. Following the passage of today’s bill, someone injured in a car crash will be able to receive the compensation for medical expenses they are entitled to whether or not the police have submitted their paperwork on time. The only requirement on the injured party will be that they provide the name of the police officer who attended the scene.
This is a sensible amendment that will mean people are compensated for medical expenses they incur. The existing uncertainty has had the potential for compensation to be withheld because of delays in internal police processes. This is an unfortunate outcome, and the Greens are pleased to see it rectified. The amendment does not reflect a policy shift of government but it does improve the statute book and clarify a previously uncertain area of the law.
In conclusion, the changes in this bill make for a simpler and more consistent ACT statute book, and the Greens support the amendments made by this bill.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (11.54), in reply: I thank members for their support of this bill. The bill carries on the technical amendments program that continues to develop a simpler, more coherent and accessible statute book for the territory through minor legislation changes. It is an efficient mechanism to take care of non-controversial, minor or technical amendments to a range of territory legislation while conserving resources that would otherwise be needed if the amendments were dealt with individually.
Each individual amendment is minor, but when viewed collectively they are a significant contribution to improving the operation of the affected legislation and the statute book generally. For example, two minor amendments of the Road Transport (Third-Party Insurance) Act will be beneficial to the insurance industry and to claimants. First, the act is amended to clarify that the Nominal Defendant is not liable in relation to uninsured or unidentified vehicles that are designed to be used in off-road areas. Second, an injured person can receive early payment of medical expenses if the police report about the accident is delayed and the injured person can provide the insurer with certain information.
Equally, in relation to the Education Act, the amendments to improve the practical administration of the act provide that various applications must be made available, free of charge, at a departmental office and not specifically at the chief executive’s office.
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