Kerces has unkindly pointed out that Mr. Stanhope has unveiled his legislative program for the forthcoming sittings (bimbo eruptions by the opposition notwithstanding). I say unkindly because she’s too busy to wade through it and I’m stuck with the job. So what have we got?
Cutting and pasting with little regard for propriety I give you the following legislative innovations. Comments in parenthesis are my own.
– As the physical planning for a Canberra dragway proceeds, the Government will introduce a Bill to put in place the risk and insurance mechanisms the community will need once the facility is up and running
– legislation will be introduced to deliver nationally consistent road transport laws for heavy vehicles
– three-year lease permits for outdoor cafes and markets
– explicit authority to paint over graffiti on private property (Ahem, who’s authority would that be and does it only apply to covering up indiscretions of the CM’s favourites?)
– making the assessment of duty on the purchase of new vehicles easier
– better defining liability for insurance duty
– clarifying the debt collection options available to the Revenue Office
– repeal the Hotel School Act 1996, opening the way for the sale of the Australian International Hotel School
– standardise and simplify the search and seizure powers of inspectors and balance those powers with the human rights of individuals (sounds like an industrial doof doof of devils dancing though the details of that over-broad phrase)
– reforms to the private-sector workers’ compensation scheme
– A Bill setting out the powers and functions of the Alexander Maconochie Centre, the remand centre and the periodic detention centre
– Amendments to the Children and Young People Act 1999 would help the Government better regulate children’s services and employment and enhance the care and protection of children and young people. (Well let’s hope Katy Gallagher and the department for which she is
notresponsible for is actually going to follow the laws this time around then)– amendments to the Education Act 2004 would also be introduced to clarify the status of parental contributions to schools.
– amendments to the Powers of Attorney Act 1956 would implement recommendations of the Standing Committee on Health and Community Care’s report on elder abuse
– establish a new offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1992 for reckless or negligent behaviour that caused serious harm or death to an animal. (behaviour intending to cause the death of an animal for eating or by the RSPCA to be exempt one hopes?)