Page 5403 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 16 November 2010

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keep under appropriate observation those convicted of child sex offences. For this reason, and because of the need to ensure mutual recognition of laws across state and territory boundaries, the territory will continue to adopt the position that any changes to our laws should be done on a nationally consistent basis to ensure that laws remain operable and easy to understand across all jurisdictions and can be most effectively implemented by police as a result.

Therefore, at the conclusion of a national discussion on these matters, the government expects to be in a position to take a decision on whether further amendments to our child sex offences are required. I will be pleased to keep the Assembly informed of progress.

These are important reforms and changes to our laws when it comes to the monitoring and addressing of child sex offenders related legislation. I would like to thank members for their support of the bill and I commend it to the Assembly.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

First Home Owner Grant Amendment Bill 2010

Debate resumed from 28 October 2010, on motion by Ms Gallagher:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (10.53): The opposition will be supporting this bill. I would like to thank the Treasurer’s office for arranging a very useful briefing on this bill, and the staff that attended and supplied a great deal of information.

This bill contains three amendments. Each of the amendments is related to the objective of implementing a national first homeowner grant scheme, and given the emerging issues in achieving a national occupational health and safety scheme, we trust that this exercise will be successful. It is important not only to have consistency across the jurisdictions but to ensure that people cannot abuse a program by taking advantage of differences between jurisdictions.

The first amendment deals with an applicant for a grant who does not satisfy the conditions under which a grant can be approved. In principle, if an applicant does not satisfy one or more of the conditions attaching to the making of a grant, that person is obliged to tell the Revenue Office what has happened and to repay the grant. If the applicant does repay the grant and also repays any penalties, including interest, that person is eligible then to reapply for a grant. In such a situation, the person would not be liable to be convicted of an offence.


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