Page 5925 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011

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the young person and at least once each year until the person reaches 18. In policy, and with the young adult’s agreement, the reviews may occur up to the age of 25.

The Office for Children, Youth and Family Support has implemented a system to ensure all young people transitioning from out-of-home care will have a transition place prior to their care orders expiring. The outreach service will administer this system and engage and work with young people and their support networks to develop and implement the plan. Further, a unit in the office is responsible for arranging and conducting, at a minimum, one leaving care case conference for each young person prior to their care order expiring. The conference includes participation from the young person, relevant service providers, carers and family members and will involve discussing matters identified in the young person’s transition plan.

The tabling of this bill signifies an important initiative by the ACT Labor government to support some of the most vulnerable groups of young people in the ACT. The young people transitioning from care should be able to share the hopes, dreams and “good” life that we as a community want for all of our young people. This bill and the corresponding budget initiative present a significant step towards that goal.

Debate (on motion by Mrs Dunne) adjourned to the next sitting.

Long Service Leave (Portable Schemes) Amendment Bill 2011

Dr Bourke, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.

Title read by Clerk.

DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (11.14): I move:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

Madam Deputy Speaker, today I introduce the Long Service Leave (Portable Schemes) Amendment Bill 2011. I should remind members that from 1 January 2010, the Long Service Leave Authority has embraced the administration and fund management of the portable long service leave schemes of the construction, cleaning and community sector industries in the ACT.

This bill implements recommendations made by the Long Service Leave Authority Board through its review of the Long Service Leave (Portable Schemes) Act 2009. This review was undertaken earlier in the year in response to a commitment made in the authority’s 2011-12 statement of intent. The review then focused on streamlining and aligning requirements and entitlements under those schemes and ensuring transparency around administrative procedures and processes.

The bill made a number of recommendations to improve the act and associated portable long service leave schemes. This includes adjustments to long service leave


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