Page 1205 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019

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Clause 32, as amended, agreed to.

Clauses 33 to 60, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Clause 61.

MR MILLIGAN (Yerrabi) (4.44), by leave: I move amendments Nos 17 and 18 circulated in my name together [see schedule 3 at page 1222]. Unfortunately, this is another area where we could not find common ground. My intention is to exclude both events conducted by local clubs and low-risk activity. As it stands, non-registerable events have an administration burden and it is unfair to hinder local sporting groups and industry stakeholders from conducting their sport and recreation interests. Sadly, the government does not trust local businesses or sporting clubs and therefore have indicated they will not support this amendment.

I remain hopeful that the regulations will provide further clarity on this issue and that the process of applying for exemptions is not too much of a burden for local businesses and grassroots sport.

MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Women) (4.45): The government will not support these two amendments. In relation to the inclusion of local clubs the amendment as proposed would exclude the majority of sporting organisations from any notification requirements for non-registerable events, potentially impacting on the safety of contestants in the sector as the government would have no recourse to require compliance to the code of practice, any prescribed minimum age or minimum standards established, including through the inspection of events.

Whilst the government has sought in drafting this bill to minimise the compliance burden for these organisations we have prioritised safety and extending it to all those hosting contest events in combat sports. I note for local clubs affiliated with an approved controlled sports authority and hosting non-commercial events that their events will typically be non-registerable and thus require a notification only. I estimate that this process will take as little as one hour of their time to complete, yet this information is invaluable to ensuring the improved safety of these events and identifying the issues before they eventuate. This is about ensuring that these environments are well governed and sanctioned by an appropriate authority.

In relation to defining “low-risk activity”, organisations can already apply to be exempt for light contact combat sports under section 8 of the bill. That exemption under section 8 will be valid for three years. Defining “low-risk activity” will undermine the light contact provisions already in the bill by essentially addressing the same issues.

MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (4.47): As I outlined in my remarks during the in-principle stage of the debate we recognise that there are risks associated with


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