Page 4226 - Week 11 - Thursday, 25 October 2018

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models of care to support evidence-based treatment in emergency departments and hospital wards.

In making this commitment, the ACT government aims to provide the best treatment and care for people with eating disorders, when they need it and where they need it. We will pursue the current initiatives that are shown to be effective, and I will work with ACT Health to identify how to best proceed with the future options that will further strengthen system responses to eating disorders. In closing, Madam Speaker, let me say that I am grateful to the petitioners for raising the profile of eating disorders and all of those who have contributed to the work to date in order to ensure that we provide better services here in the ACT.

Building quality improvement

Ministerial statement

MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, Minister for Building Quality Improvement, Minister for Business and Regulatory Services and Minister for Seniors and Veterans) (10.08): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to make this statement today on my expectations for the quality of buildings in the territory. Since late 2016 I have been responsible for building and construction regulatory services. With ministerial oversight of building quality improvement, I have the additional responsibility for building policy and legislation. This includes the government’s improving the ACT building regulatory system reforms program.

Since the review of the ACT Building Act and regulatory system began, the government has undertaken a series of legislative reforms that range from new regulatory powers to better information for the community. These include new powers to condition or refuse licences and require licensees to undertake skills assessments or training; increased penalties for major breaches of the Building Act and for failing to comply with rectification orders; improved information-gathering and sharing powers for investigations; and a wider range of options for the registrar to take action against a licensee to protect the public.

There are increased checks on builder licence applicants and a narrower range of qualifications that are allowed to gain a builder licence. We have created a public register of information about licensees and released guides for people building and buying in the ACT. Under the government’s current reform program, we have also expanded the existing statutory warranties to all private residential buildings or parts of buildings, including those above three storeys. We have also made changes to assist in reducing phoenixing and to prevent people shifting their operations between multiple licences to avoid meeting their obligations as a licensee. I acknowledge the extensive policy work already undertaken to review the building regulatory system, develop the current reform program and strengthen the regulatory framework.

In creating this new portfolio, the government is reconfirming its commitment to crack down on poor practices in the building and construction industry and to make sure that only those people who can and will build in accordance with our standards


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