19 FEBRUARY 2015 www.hansard.act.gov.au Thursday, 19 February 2015 Petition (Ministerial response): Canberra Institute of Technology—Auslan—petition No 18-14 ................... 553 University of Canberra Amendment Bill 2015 .......................................................... 554 Dangerous Substances (Loose-fill Asbestos Eradication) Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 .......................................................................................... 558 Courts Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 ................................................................. 560 Domestic Animals (Breeding) Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 ............................ 563 Estimates 2015-2016—Select Committee ................................................................. 568 Executive business—precedence ............................................................................... 571 Order of Australia ...................................................................................................... 571 Visitor ........................................................................................................................ 589 Order of Australia ...................................................................................................... 589 Electoral Amendment Bill 2014 (No 2) ..................................................................... 592 Questions without notice: Crime—motorcycle gangs .............................................................................. 600 Sport—sponsorship ........................................................................................ 603 Economy—asset recycling ............................................................................. 605 Roads—safety ................................................................................................. 609 Canberra Institute of Technology—Auslan .................................................... 610 Disability services—national disability insurance scheme ............................ 611 Visitor ........................................................................................................................ 614 Questions without notice: Gaming—policy ............................................................................................. 615 Planning—draft variation 304 ........................................................................ 616 Tourism—events ............................................................................................ 617 Supplementary answers to questions without notice: Roads—safety ................................................................................................. 620 Planning—delays ............................................................................................ 620 Leave of absence ........................................................................................................ 620 Supplementary answer to question without notice: Gaming—poker machines .............................................................................. 620 Papers ......................................................................................................................... 621 Canberra—urban renewal (Matter of public importance) ......................................... 622 Electoral Amendment Bill 2014 (No 2) ..................................................................... 633 Estimates 2015-2016—Select Committee ................................................................. 658 Adjournment: Territory and municipal services—urban maintenance .................................. 659 Sport—tennis .................................................................................................. 660 Sport—International Children’s Games ......................................................... 660 I-Care Australia .............................................................................................. 661 Jesus is Lord Church ....................................................................................... 661 Communities@Work ...................................................................................... 662 Schedules of amendments: Schedule 1:Electoral Amendment Bill 2014 (No 2) ....................................... 664 Schedule 2:Electoral Amendment Bill 2014 (No 2) ....................................... 667 Answers to questions: Business—registered brothels (Question No 362) ......................................... 669 Alexander Maconochie Centre—upgrade (Question No 365) ....................... 670 Questions without notice taken on notice: Business—investment .................................................................................... 670 Legislative Assembly for the ACT Thursday, 19 February 2015 MADAM SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne) took the chair at 10 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory. Petition Ministerial response The Clerk: The following response to a petition has been lodged by a minister: By Ms Burch, Minister for Education and Training, dated 18 February 2015, in response to a petition lodged by Ms Lawder on 25 November 2014 concerning the ongoing funding Auslan courses at CIT. The terms of the response will be recorded in Hansard. Canberra Institute of Technology—Auslan—petition No 18-14 The response read as follows: In accordance with Standing Order 100, I provide you with the following response to the petition for presentation to the Assembly. Auslan interpreting is an essential service for Auslan users. The availability of accredited Auslan interpreters for the ACT deaf community has been raised as a significant concern in recent times. While many Auslan users may rely on family or friends to interpret for them due to a lack of availability of professional interpreters, there is a small but important need to increase the number of accredited Auslan interpreters. Encouraging more people to choose a professional career in Auslan Interpreting is an important first step to address this need. The language course alone does not qualify a person to become an interpreter - they need to become proficient in using Auslan first which usually takes years of informal practice outside of formal language studies. Language proficiency is the first step to becoming an interpreter. Gaining national accreditation through the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) can be achieved through sitting a NAATI accreditation test or through completing a NAATl approved interpreting course (usually at a Diploma or Advance Diploma level offered through TAFEs and Universities across Australia). Both channels of accreditation require proficiency in the English language as well as the language to be interpreted. The Certificate II and Ill Auslan, courses currently offered through the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), develop Auslan language skills and provide a potential pathway for further study to become an interpreter. CIT Solutions also run a number of programs in conversational Auslan throughout the year which achieve similar outcomes. 553 19 February 2015 Legislative Assembly for the ACT The demand for the certificate courses at CIT has remained low, which makes them financially unviable to run. Many students do not complete the full qualification indicating a lack of need for official certification. The short courses at CIT Solutions, in both Auslan 1 and Auslan 2, are fully subscribed anecdotally suggesting that the demand is in the development of conversational language skills in Auslan. The Auslan certificate courses offered at CIT were developed and accredited by the Kangan Institute of TAFE in Victoria. The nationally recognised Victorian Auslan program will expire in 2015. As a registered Training Organisation, CIT must comply with the teach-out requirements regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority for an expired course. CIT offered the Certificate II in Auslan in 2013 and 2014 and is offering the Certificate II in Auslan in 2015 for existing students to enable those students who have begun the Certificate II to complete the qualification, should they wish to do so. CIT is also offering the Certificate Ill in Auslan in 2015 for full-time students. However, this will require sufficient enrolments for the course to proceed. Until further information is available on the national reaccreditation of the Auslan certificate courses, CIT must plan for its cessation. CIT is examining how best to meet the needs of students and the community in future years. This may include ongoing and more flexible offerings through CIT Solutions. University of Canberra Amendment Bill 2015 Mr Barr, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement. Title read by Clerk. MR BARR (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Urban Renewal and Minister for Tourism and Events) (10.02): I move: That this bill be agreed to in principle. It is my pleasure to present the University of Canberra Amendment Bill 2015 and its explanatory statement. The ACT government is committed to supporting our tertiary and research sector. This bill will help the University of Canberra to strengthen its foundations and secure a long-term future. This is despite the tough global and national economic environment and of course the looming pressures from the federal government’s ill- informed reforms and cuts to higher