Page 3815 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2013
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must, by law, be notified on the ACT legislation register. The amendment in clause 1.33 will now ensure that the director-general’s determination of how much livestock can be carried by rural landholdings is transparent. This is important for the ACT’s rural lessees because their liability to pay the stock levy is partly dependent on the stock-carrying capacity of their landholding.
The other noteworthy amendment to the Stock Act is to ensure greater scrutiny by this Assembly of the administration of the stock levy. Clause 1.34 of the bill inserts a new section 7A into the Stock Act. This new section provides that the minister may determine the minimum stock levy by disallowable instrument. The minimum stock levy is the minimum amount that rural lessees who run livestock must pay each year as stock levy. Members may be aware that the ACT government uses the proceeds of the stock levy to help fund services for rural lessees such as the provision of animal health services and the control of pest animals.
The minimum stock levy is currently set by the executive. Section 4 of the Stock Regulation 2005 provides that the minimum stock levy is nil for a small landholding and $40 in other cases. This amount has not been adjusted since the executive made the regulation in 2005.
The insertion of new section 7A into the Stock Act will provide that the minister sets the minimum stock levy rather than the executive. This has two benefits. Firstly, it brings the minimum stock levy into line with most other ACT government fees and charges so that it may be adjusted annually in line with any changes to the wage price index. Secondly, and importantly, the fact that any determination of the minimum stock levy must now be made by disallowable instrument ensures that this Assembly has oversight of the minister’s action.
Taken together, the three amendments that I have just highlighted—greater review rights under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act and greater transparency and scrutiny of determinations made under the Stock Act—display a commitment to transparent and accountable government, something that I think all members agree is an important thing to be doing.
The amendments proposed in this bill are only of a minor or technical nature. However, I believe that it is important to continuously review and strengthen the ACT’s statute book to ensure that our legislation is both up to date and responsive to the ACT community. Where possible and practicable, this Assembly should continue to make laws which enhance government transparency and citizens’ review rights. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 12.20 to 2.30 pm.
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