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Busy schedule as NT Parliament resumes

NT Government

A plan to boost the Territory’s construction industry by cutting red-tape on major projects will be debated when Parliament resumes tomorrow.

Amendments to the Construction Industry Long Service Leave and Benefits Act 2005 will simplify the way the levy on major projects is calculated. The Bill will also improve the NT Build portable long service leave scheme.

An amendment to remove fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods from the Animal Protection Act 2018 (unless they are in captivity) will provide increased certainty to fishing industry stakeholders. The change will also support the rights of fishers to undertake a legitimate form of food collection and recreation.

Those who spit at frontline emergency workers will soon face tougher consequences with new legislation to be debated this week. Amendments to the Criminal Code Act 1983 and Sentencing Act 1995 will further increase protection from such cowardly attacks by making spitting an aggravating factor. This means judges must consider it as a more serious offence that carries higher penalties.

Amongst Bills to be introduced during Sittings is the Monitoring of Places of Detention (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture) Amendment Bill 2022, which will provide for the establishment of oversight arrangements for places of detention. This Bill proposes to implement aspects of the Report of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory.

Quotes attributable to Leader of Government Business Chansey Paech:

“We have a busy Parliamentary agenda this week which focuses on new legislation and amendments to current legislation to ensure Northern Territory laws remain contemporary, effective, and equitable.

“Our Government is working to introduce, improve, and simplify legislation towards a better, fairer place for all Territorians, and Bills that are being debated and introduced this week will advance our strong Labor values.”

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