Matters of public importance —your Assembly @ work Sitting week—27 to 31 March 2017 Issue 3/2017 Regulation 2004 to align the ACT’s laws with Government business Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation Includes all business items presented to the to ensure a nationally consistent regulatory Assembly by the Executive including bills, system for gene technology. The amendments motions, and papers are minor in nature. Bills introduced Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Amendment Bill 2017 Summary: This bill will amend a number of Territory laws within the Justice and Community Summary: This bill will amend the Aboriginal Safety portfolio to improve the operation of Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Act 2008 to each amended law. strengthen the functions of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body to consult Red Tape Reduction Legislation Amendment Bill and provide advice on systemic or whole-of- 2017 government issues. The delineation of Summary: This bill will make amendments to a responsibility between the Elected Body and number of Territory laws to reduce red tape. the ACT Government in the management of The amendments remove certain administrative operational aspects of Aboriginal and Torres burdens for charities and firewood merchants Strait Islander policy and service provisions will and will decrease the levy charged to small also be clarified by the amendments. The bill energy utility suppliers. The bill will also will make amendments in relation to introduce a new offence provision for non- community forums and harmonise the Act with compliant licensed agents, remove breed- the Heritage Act 2004. specific provisions concerning greyhounds and City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land remove certain barriers to those applying for a Agency Bill 2017 security employee licence in low risk activities. The bill repeals the Public Bathing Act 1956 and Summary: This bill will establish a City Renewal the Environment Protection (ACT Firewood) Authority and a Suburban Land Agency and Code of Practice 1999. outline the role and responsibilities of each entity. The bill will also make consequential Copies of bills presented to the Assembly and amendments to a number of ACT laws as a associated explanatory statements can be access result of the establishment of the entities. from the ACT Legislation Register at www.legislation.act.gov.au. Firearms Amendment Bill 2017 Bills debated Summary: This bill will amend the Firearms Act 1996 by reclassifying lever action shotguns with The following bills were debated on 28 and a magazine capacity of up to and more than five 30 March and were passed by the Assembly rounds. without amendment. Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2017 Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 (28 March 2017) Summary: This bill will amend the Gene Technology Act 2003 and the Gene Technology Family and Personal Violence Legislation of the ACT Children and Young People’s Amendment Bill 2017 (28 and 30 March 2017) Commitment 2015-2025. A full record of the debates will be available from The full text of the statements made by ministers here. and members can be accessed from the Assembly Hansard site. Motion debated Vocational education and training (VET) was the Private Members’ business subject of a motion moved by the Government Includes all items presented to the Assembly on 30 March. The motion noted the importance by all non-Executive Members, including bills of the VET sector to the ACT and that the and motions Commonwealth’s current funding for the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform Motions debated expires in June 2017. The motion also noted that Public housing developments was the subject of Commonwealth had refused to schedule a a motion moved by Mr Parton MLA on 29 March. meeting of skills and training ministers to discuss The motion included noting that the ACT future agreement or funding for continuing Government planned to relocate public housing funding for this purpose. The motion called on tenants from Northbourne Avenue to suburban the ACT Government to continue efforts to sites and called on the ACT Government to ensure a properly funded, well-regulated and cancel the planned housing developments in high quality vocational, education and training Chapman, Wright and Holder and consider more system. suitable locations for public housing tenants. The motion was passed by the Assembly after The motion also called on the Government to debate. adopt a genuine salt and pepper approach to public housing. Ministerial statements During debate an amendment was moved by the The following ministerial statements were made Government that included, among other things, on 28 March 2017. noting that dispersing public housing and The Minister for Health made a statement reducing concentrations of disadvantage concerning the terms of reference for a system- contributes to a diverse and inclusive community wide review of ACT Health data and reporting. and that public consultation has commenced on During the statement the minister presented new housing sites in Tuggeranong, Molonglo the following paper: Valley, Weston Creek and Woden Valley. The Terms of reference for the system-wide amendment also included calling on the review. Government to provide an update on progress under the Public Housing Renewal Program to Mrs Dunne MLA also made a statement in the Assembly during the May sittings. The relation to matter. proposed amendment was agreed to by the A progress report on implementation of Assembly after a vote. recommendations made in Auditor-General’s The amended motion was then passed by the Report 3/2015 entitled Restoration of the Assembly. Lower Cotter Catchment was the subject of a ministerial statement made by the Minister for Ms Orr MLA moved a motion on 29 March the Environment and Heritage. During the concerning the location of Federal public service statement the minister presented a copy of the agencies in the ACT. The motion included Government’s progress report on the matter. outlining a number of federal government agencies that are located in the Territory and The Minister for Climate Change and that the role of the Australian Public Service in Sustainability made a statement concerning Canberra has, until recently, enjoyed tri-partisan progress being made through the Climate support. Action Roundtable, which is a forum of Australian States, Territories and major cities who wish to prioritise action on climate change. The Minister for Disability, Children and Youth provided a progress update on implementation During debate the Opposition stated that over Remuneration Tribunal Determinations relating time federal governments on both sides of to: politics had undertaken work to bring ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal— government agencies to Canberra and therefore Amended Determination many public service jobs and outlined the importance of the federal public service to the ACT Supreme Court Judicial Positions Territory. The Opposition indicated their support Members of the ACT Legislative Assembly for the motion with the ACT Greens also outlining their reasons for supporting the Head of Service, Directors-General and motion. Executives The motion was passed without amendment. Full-Time Statutory Office Holders Other motions debated on 29 March 2017 related Part-Time Public Office Holders—Amended to: Determination Community inclusivity—Mr Steel MLA Part-Time Public Office Holder—Medicinal Cannabis Medical Advisory Panel (presented Dog attacks—Mr Doszpot MLA by the Chief Minister on 30 March) Land acquisitions in Dickson—Mr Coe MLA Report of the Independent Reviewer for the The full debate on the above motions can be period 9 September to 31 December 2016— accessed from the Assembly Hansard site. pursuant to the Government Agencies (Campaign Advertising) Act (presented by the Matters of public importance Speaker on 29 March) The following matters of public importance were Committee activities discussed in the Assembly this week— Committee report presented The importance of early childhood education in the ACT—Ms Cody MLA Scrutiny Committee The importance of affordable housing in the Scrutiny Report 4 (presented 28 March) ACT—Ms Le Couteur MLA This report contained the committee’s comments on seven pieces of subordinate Papers presented legislation and eight government responses. The following are papers of interest that were Committee statements presented during the sitting week: On 28 March 2017 the following committee Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected statements were made. Body—Reports on Estimates Hearings 2014 and 2015—Government response (presented by the The chair of the Standing Committee on Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, Employment and Youth Affairs Affairs on 30 March) informed the Assembly that the committee had resolved to conduct an inquiry into insecure ACT Auditor-General—Report 9/2016— employment in the ACT. A copy of the terms of Commissioner for International Engagement— reference can be accessed here. Position creation and appointment process— Government response (presented by the Chief The chair of the Standing Committee on Public Minister on 30 March) Accounts informed the Assembly that the committee had resolved to conduct an inquiry Schools for All—Expert Panel on Students with into Auditor-General’s Reports 7/2016 Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviour— concerning certain acquisitions by the Land Fourth quarterly report on implementation