Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (16:53): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Again, I do not think you will find any Stephen Conroy things in this speech, and I seek leave to insert the second reading explanation and explanation of clauses in Hansard without my reading them.

Leave granted.

Today I am introducing the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Amendment Bill 2016 (the Bill) for the purpose of repealing Part 12 of the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014.

The Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014 was given Royal Assent on 12 December 2014. It includes Part 12 which is uncommenced and is intended to confer the jurisdiction of the Public Sector Grievance Review Commission (PSGRC) on the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT). 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 this year on the second anniversary of the date that Royal Assent was 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 (SAET) rather than on SACAT. It is the Government's intention at this time that the relevant provisions of the Statutes Amendment (South Australian Employment Tribunal) Bill 2016 will commence on 1 July 2017.

The Bill will repeal Part 12 of the Statutes Amendment (SACAT) Act 2014 to avoid the PSGRC jurisdiction being conferred on SACAT automatically in December this year. It would be undesirable for the PSGRC jurisdiction to be conferred on SACAT in December of this year only to be conferred on SAET in July 2017.

I commend the Bill to Members.

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 Hon. D.W. Ridgway.

At 16:54 the council adjourned until Tuesday 27 September 2016 at 14:15.