Presented by
Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister

October 2005

The objective of this Bill is to repeal the Administration (Interstate Agreements) Act 1997 (the Act). The Act required Ministers to inform the Legislative Assembly of interstate agreements, requiring the enactment of ACT legislation, that they were negotiating. Ministers were also required to notify Assembly Committees prior to signing interstate agreements.

Following repeal of the Act a number of non-legislative transparency measures will be introduced. These measures will include:

• compiling and maintaining a list of current negotiations towards intergovernmental agreements, for signature by Ministers, for the information of Assembly Members (to be tabled approximately every six months);

• tabling the texts of intergovernmental agreements in the Assembly; and

• maintaining a publicly accessible whole of government register of new intergovernmental agreements.

There are no financial implications arising from the Bill.

States the name of the Act.

Sets the date of commencement of the Act as the day after it is notified.

This section inserts a new section in the Administration (Interstate Agreements) Act 1997 (the Interstate Agreements Act) that provides that the Interstate Agreements Act ceases to have effect in relation to any interstate agreements or related negotiations. For the purpose of clarity subsection 2 also ensures that there are no continuing obligations under the Interstate Agreements Act after it has been repealed. Subsection 3 clarifies that section 88 of the Legislation Act 2001 applies to the Act, ensuring that the transition provision in this section continues after the Interstate Agreements Act has been repealed.