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Parliamentary update: 10 to 12 May 2022

Queensland Parliament sat from 10 to 12 May 2022.

Bills introduced

The following Bills were introduced into the Legislative Assembly:

  • Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022
  • Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.

Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022

The Animal Care and Protection Amendment Bill 2022 was introduced on 12 May 2022 by the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Furner.

The objective of the Bill is to modernise animal welfare laws to reflect contemporary science, community attitudes, and expectations by:

  • facilitating the ethical use of animals for scientific purposes while ensuring that animal welfare is not compromised
  • strengthening enforcement powers to address risks to animal welfare by clarifying or prescribing new offences, such as an ‘aggravated’ breach of duty of care offence
  • prohibiting inhumane practices, such as the use of ‘CSSP Pig Poison’ on pest or feral animals, firing or blistering of the legs of horses and dogs, and the use of prong collars on cats and dogs
  • providing for an approved cattle procedures accreditation scheme to enable a person to gain accreditation to perform a cattle procedure
  • clarifying the law and removing redundant provisions.

The Bill amends the:

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  • Animal Care and Protection Act 2001
  • Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2012
  • Disability Services Act 2006
  • Racing Integrity Act 2016
  • Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936
  • Veterinary Surgeons Regulation 2016

The Bill has been referred to the parliamentary State Development and Regional Industries Committee for inquiry. The inquiry’s report is due to be tabled by 1 July 2022.

Useful resources:

Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022

The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 was introduced on 11 May 2022 by the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D’Ath.

The Bill implements a range of reforms to update and improve the regulation of Australia’s health professions by:

  • strengthening public safety and confidence in the provision of health services
  • improving the governance of the National Scheme
  • enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the scheme.

The Bill amends the:

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  • Health Ombudsman Act 2013
  • Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009

The Bill has been referred to the parliamentary Health and Environment Committee for inquiry.

Useful resources:

Legislation passed this Parliament

The following legislation was passed by the Legislative Assembly:

  • Police Service Administration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021
  • Protection Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021
  • Public Trustee (Advisory and Monitoring Board) Amendment Bill 2021

Police Service Administration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021

The Police Service Administration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on 16 November 2021 by the Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, Mark Ryan.

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The Bill was referred to the parliamentary Economics and Governance Committee for detailed consideration.

The Bill passed without amendment on 12 May 2022.

The objectives of the Bill are to:

  • modernise the legislative framework underpinning Protective Services
  • increase efficiencies for police officers acting as public officials under the Forestry Act 1959, the Marine Parks Act 2004, the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Recreation Areas Management Act 2006 (Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Legislation), and in identity card administration for these Acts.

The Bills aims to achieve these objectives by:

  • repealing the State Buildings Protective Security Act 1983 and associated regulation by relocating relevant provisions to the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (PPRA) and Police Service Administration Act 1990 (PSAA)
  • amalgamating protective security officers and senior protective security officers into one group called Protective Services Officers (PSOs)
  • consolidating and rationalising the security powers that may be exercised by police officers and PSOs in state buildings
  • authorising PSOs to seize contraband located in the performance of their duties
  • ensuring that the statutory protections available to police officers who are required to use force in the performance of their duties extend to PSOs
  • introducing a new offence provision prohibiting the impersonation of a PSO
  • clarifying that the offence to assault or resist a PSO includes obstructing a PSO
  • expanding the alcohol and drug testing regime to include PSOs
  • authorising PSOs to use body-worn cameras
  • removing requirements for police officers appointed as public officials under Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service legislation to produce an identity card issued under Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service legislation when exercising a relevant power (which otherwise duplicates existing requirements for the production of police identification issued under the PPRA)
  • streamlining identity card requirements for other State Government employees by allowing a single identity card to list the appointments the person has under legislation administered by the Department of Environment and Science

Useful resources:

Child Protection Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021

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The Child Protection Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on 15 September 2021 by the Minister for Children and Youth Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Leanne Linard.

The Bill was referred to the parliamentary Economics and Governance Committee for detailed consideration.

The Bill passed without amendment on 10 May 2022.

The Bill seeks to amend the Adoption Act 2009, the Child Protection Act 1999, the Child Protection Regulation 2011, the Disability Services Act 2006, the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000, and other legislation as listed in schedule 1 of the Bill.

As outlined in the explanatory notes, the objectives of the Bill are to:

  • reinforce children’s rights in the legislative framework
  • strengthen children’s voices in decisions that affect them
  • streamline, clarify and improve the regulation of care.

The Bill also:

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  • amends the Adoption Act 2009 to resolve technical issues relating to delegations under the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 (Cth)
  • amends the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening Act) 2000 to provide a legislative basis for the chief executive (working with children) to request domestic violence information from the Queensland Police Commissioner for the purposes of blue card assessments.

Useful resources:

Public Trustee (Advisory and Monitoring Board) Amendment Bill 2021

The Public Trustee (Advisory and Monitoring Board) Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on 28 October 2021 by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shannon Fentiman.

The Bill was referred to the parliamentary Community Support and Services Committee for detailed consideration.

The Bill was passed with amendment on 11 May 2022.

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Public Trustee Act 1978 to establish the Public Trustee Advisory and Monitoring Board (the board). The board is intended to provide additional oversight over the Public Trustee to enhance transparency and public accountability.

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The Bill incorporates recommendations contained in the report, ‘Preserving the financial futures of vulnerable Queenslanders: A Review of the Public Trustee’s fees, charges and practices’,specifically recommendation 30, which recommended that government consider additional oversight and/or reporting mechanisms to improve the Public Trustee’s performance, transparency and public accountability.

Useful resources:

Second reading

On 6 May 2022, the second readings to the following Bills were moved:

  • Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
  • State Penalties Enforcement (Modernisation) Amendment Bill 2022

Useful resources for the Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022:

Useful resources for the State Penalties Enforcement (Modernisation) Amendment Bill 2022:

Subordinate legislation

Subordinate Queensland Legislation notified in 2022 is also available online.

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Subordinate Legislation notified on the Queensland Legislation website from 5 April 2022 to 13 May 2022.

Queensland Government Gazette

The Queensland Government Gazettes for 2022 are available online.

Parliamentary sitting dates

As indicated on the parliamentary website, the Queensland Parliament is scheduled to next sit on 24 to 26 May 2022.

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