Mr ALBANESE (Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) (5:34 PM) —I move:

The Road Transport Reform (Dangerous Goods) Repeal Bill 2009 (the bill) meets the Australian government’s obligation, under the Inter-Governmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Road, Rail and Intermodal Transport, to repeal any road transport legislation that has been enacted by the Commonwealth on behalf of the ACT, to coincide with the passage of legislation by the ACT government.

The intergovernmental agreementsets out principles and processes for cooperation between the Commonwealth, states and territories to progress regulatory and operational reform for road, rail and intermodal transport, in order to deliver and sustain nationally consistent transport outcomes.

The bill will repeal the Road Transport Reform (Dangerous Goods) Act 1995, which will allow the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government to implement the updated Australian Dangerous Goods Code, and the associated model legislation, into its own legislative arrangements in the same manner as other states and territories.

The ACT cannot implement the updated Dangerous Goods Code and the associated model legislation until the Australian government repeals the existing dangerous goods transport legislation.

The repeal will come into effect on a day to be fixed by proclamation to coincide with the passage of legislation by the ACT government to ensure that a seamless transfer to the new dangerous goods transport provisions occurs.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Lindsay) adjourned.