BILLS FOR INTRODUCTION IN PARLIAMENT THIS WEEK

Premier Peter Beattie said the following bills will be introduced to Parliament this week.

The Energy Assets (Restructuring and Disposal) Bill 2006

The Bill will facilitate the sale of some of the Government’s retail energy assets as announced in April.

Media Contact: Steve Keating 3224 4379, 0408 720 081

Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2006

The Bill delivers stamp duty cuts for first-home buyers announced in the state election and other tax cuts announced in the State Budget including the abolition of hire duty and duty on transfers of unquoted marketable securities.

Media Contact: Steve Keating 3224 4379, 0408 720 081

Appropriation Bill (No 2.) 2006 and Appropriation Bill (Parliament) (No 2.) 2006 –

The Bill provides appropriation for unforseen expenditure for 2005-06 for government Departments and Agencies and the Parliament.

Media Contact: Steve Keating 3224 4379, 0408 720 081

Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2006

The Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 will make a number of miscellaneous amendments to Health portfolio Acts.

These amendments will ensure greater opportunities for the recruitment of medical and allied health professionals and help to address the national shortage of dentists in the public sector.

The Bill also amends the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 to ban the supply of smokeless tobacco products like snuff, which are known to cause health problems.

Media contact: Paul Lynch 3234 1190, 0417 791 336

Criminal Code (Drink Spiking) and Other Act Amendment Bill

The Bill targets drink spiking and laws that will ensure certain sex offenders will be subject to electronic monitoring.

Media Contact: Paul Childs 3239 6400 or 0407 131654

Body Corporate and Community Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill

Provides improved dispute resolution processes making justice more accessible for up to 500,000 Queenslanders living in apartments and units.

The Bill will accelerate the resolution of disputes and minimise the likelihood of future problems. Body corporate committees will also be subject to a Code of Conduct. The Bill gives bodies corporate the power to remove a voting committee member from office.

Media contact: David Smith 3225 1005, 0419 025 326

Primary Industries Legislation Amendment Bill

The Primary Industries Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 makes changes to three Acts, by amending the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, the Agricultural Standards Act 1994 and the Grain Research Foundation Act 1976. It also repeals the Grain Industry (Restructuring) Act 1991.

A key change is to the Animal Care and Protection Act, which will clarify that an inspector has the power to re-enter a property to care for an animal which has been seized in situ.

Media contact: David Potter 3239 6350, 0409305 662

Fire and Rescue Service Amendment Bill 2006

The Bill makes it compulsory for smoke alarms to be installed in all existing homes. There is currently no legal requirement for most pre-1997 houses and units to have smoke alarms installed. The Bill will fill this gap and will mean that all homes in Queensland are required to have smoke alarms installed.

The Bill also includes measures to reduce unwanted alarm activations, increased penalties for serious fire safety breaches, improved enforcement and investigation powers for Fire Officers, and a range of other fire safety and administrative improvements.

Media contact: Tim Shipstone 3247 8194, 0409 620571

YeppoonHospital Site Acquisition Bill 2006

The Bill honours the Government's pre-election commitment to introduce legislation to authorise the acquisition of land for the construction of a new hospital at Yeppoon on the CapricornCoast.

Media contact: Kirby Anderson (Minister Shine's office) 3896 3689 or 0418 197 350

Nature Conservation Amendment Bill

Amendments to the Nature Conservation Act 1992 will effectively ban recreational duck and quail hunting in Queensland.

The ban on recreational duck and quail hunting will not affect the current rights of primary producers to seek authorisation to shoot ducks for the purpose of crop protection under an approved damage mitigation permit.

Media Contact: Karla Steen 3336 8004, 0417 603 409

9 October, 2006