Page 1482 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 May 2015
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reports on the implementation of the scheme. The first quarterly report on the scheme was the former Chief Minister’s ministerial statement on 30 October 2014. The second quarterly report on the scheme was presented to the Legislative Assembly on 24 March 2015. This report concerns the period October to December 2014. The report also provides an update on “the recent activity of the task force, including the progress of the buyback program”.
The committee wishes to advise it believes there is merit in it considering the second quarterly report in conjunction with the third quarterly report on the basis that further information will be available to assist it in its assessment of the performance parameters of the scheme.
This includes further information on (a) final numbers of participants in the scheme—specifically, affected home owners who have opted into the program by having two independent valuations of their home and accepted an offer from the territory government to purchase their home; (b) the budget implications of implementing the scheme with the release of the 2015-16 budget; and (c) the outcome of the Environment and Planning Directorate’s consultation with the community about proposed amendments to the territory plan which will affect blocks in the RZ1 zones surrendered through the buyback program.
Pursuant to the Planning and Development Act 2007, draft variation No 343 to the territory plan—entitled “Residential blocks surrendered under the loose-fill asbestos insulation eradication scheme”—was released for consultation on 10 April 2015, with the closing date of 25 May 2015 for written comments. Accordingly, the committee will consider the second quarterly report, tabled on 24 March 2015, in conjunction with the third quarterly report, when available, and will report back to the Assembly on its inquiries as soon as practical.
Human Rights Amendment Bill 2015
Debate resumed from 26 March 2015, on motion by Mr Corbell:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.14): I indicate at the outset that the opposition will support this bill, but my understanding is that there is agreement that the detail stage will be subsequently referred to the JACS committee. There is no doubt this bill addresses some very important issues that we as a party certainly support. It gives effect to the conclusions of the 2014 review of the Human Rights Act 2004. It makes amendments in a number of areas with which we have no concerns, including extending the application of part 5A to the right of education and including a note in section 11 to indicate that children have all rights under the Human Rights Act in addition to the right to protection under section 11. These result from many discussions with the human rights bodies and interpretations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that children as individuals benefit from all of our civil rights and indeed deserve special protection. The CRC recognises that the degree to which children can exercise these rights independently is influenced by their evolving maturity and also emphasises the rights and responsibilities of parents. Overall, these are positions we support.
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