Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Hansard source

I thank senators for participating in the debate and for supporting the bill. I remind the Senate that the Road Transport Reform (Dangerous Goods) Repeal Bill 2009 will repeal the Road Transport Reforms (Dangeruous Goods) Act 1995. It is an important part of our cooperative and collaborative federalism. It will allow the 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. Currently, the ACT cannot implement the updated code and associated model legislation, which has been endorsed by the ministers of the Australian Transport Council, until the Australian government takes this step of repealing the existing dangerous goods transport legislation.

The repeal completes a longstanding commitment by the Australian government and the states and territories to repeal any road transport legislation that has been enacted by the Commonwealth on behalf of the ACT once that legislation is no longer necessary. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.