Page 1313 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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The bill also makes a number of other amendments to legislation. The bill amends the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Act 1995 to create a single licence to deal in X 18+ films, meaning to sell and/or copy X 18+ films.
The bill amends the Discrimination Act 1991 to update terminology in line with community expectations. For example, the protected attribute of “gender identity” is clarified to include “gender expression”, “intersex status” is changed to “sex characteristics”, and “sexuality” is more broadly defined to include more diverse sexual orientations.
Amendments to the Domestic Animals Act 2000 will update the definition of “serious injury” and include a definition of “serious dog bite”. The bill also introduces new requirements for selling or giving away a cat or dog, the contravention of which constitutes an offence.
The bill introduces a change to the definition of “fuel” in the Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Act 1993 and the Fuels Rationing Act 2019. This definitional change ensures that these acts cover fuels currently in use in the ACT and that all fuels are appropriately covered by consumer protection provisions. In particular, the new definition covers hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel is a small but growing market in the ACT, and one that is likely to increase in the coming years as the hydrogen fuel market matures and Australia’s first hydrogen vehicle refuelling facility in Canberra becomes operational. The bill also replaces outdated references in the Fuel Prices Act to the “Prices Surveillance Authority” with “Australian Competition and Consumer Commission”.
In the Liquor Act 2010 and Liquor Regulation 2010, the bill makes minor and technical amendments to complete the implementation of the perpetual licence scheme. In the Road Transport (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1977, the bill expands an existing offence for driving or riding a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol to also include while under the influence of a drug. The bill also makes a number of minor consequential amendments to the Unit Titles Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 passed earlier this year.
The bill makes technical changes to the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003, Residential Tenancies Act 1997, and Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011, which will commence in line with the Unit Titles Legislation Amendment Act 2020 in November this year. Finally, an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act 1994 will allow for the courts to provide any victims levies payable by an offender to be stated on a written notice separate to an offender’s fine order or penalty notice.
The bill being introduced today is a human rights compatible bill. It improves the operation of our laws and increases the availability of services in our community. These improvements are a result of the government listening to, and working with, the community to deliver legislation that is up to date and fit for purpose. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Dunne) adjourned to the next sitting.
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