Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Amendment Bill

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (10:37): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (10:37): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Today, I am introducing the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Amendment Bill 2016 for the purpose of repealing part 12 of the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014. The 2014 SACAT Act was given royal assent on 12 December 2014. It includes part 12, which is uncommenced and is intended to confer jurisdiction of the Public Sector Grievance Review Commission (PSGRC) on the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

In accordance with section 7(5) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1915, unless part 12 is brought into operation earlier by proclamation, part 12 will commence operation automatically in December of this year on the second anniversary of the date of the royal assent given to the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014. The government has concurrently introduced a partner bill to this bill. The Statutes Amendment (South Australian Employment Tribunal) Bill 2016 proposes that the jurisdiction of the PSGRC is to be conferred on the South Australian Employment Tribunal, rather than on SACAT.

It is the government's intention at this time that the relevant provisions of the employment tribunal bill will commence on 1 July 2017, so the present bill will repeal part 12 of the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014 to avoid the PSGRC jurisdiction being conferred on SACAT automatically in December of this year. It would be undesirable for the PSGRC jurisdiction to be conferred on SACAT in December of this year, only then to be conferred on the employment tribunal in July of next year. I commend the bill to members. I seek leave to have the explanation of clauses inserted in Hansard without my reading it.

Leave granted.

Explanation of Clauses

Part 1—Preliminary

1—Short title

2—Amendment provisions

These clauses are formal.

Part 2—Amendment of Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014

3—Repeal of Part 12

This clause deletes Part 12 of the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014.

Debate adjourned on motion of Ms Chapman.