THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITOY

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA AMENDMENT BILL 2006

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Circulated by the Authority of
Andrew Barr MLA
Minister for Education and Training

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA AMENDMENT BILL 2006
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Overview of the Bill
The purpose of the amendments to the University of Canberra Act 1989 is to improve the Council’s governance in line with the National Governance Protocols for Higher Education Providers (the Protocols) and the Review of Governance Structures of the University of Canberra Council which was commissioned by the Chief Minister in 2005. 

Details of the Bill

Amendment 1	Names the Act as the University of Canberra Amendment Act 2006.

Amendment 2	Provides the commencement provisions, noting that this Act will commence on the day after its notification day.

Amendment 3	Declares that it is the University of Canberra Act 1989 that is being amended.

Amendment 4	Amends the constitution of the University of Canberra Council (the Council) by reducing its size and specifying its composition, setting the terms and conditions of appointment for external and elected members including their skills and values.

Amendment 5	Amends the Act to authorise the conduct of Council business without meetings.

Amendments 6 & 7	Amends S.15 consequential to the amendments made in S.11. 

Amendment 8	Provides the Council to appoint a professor of the university as the chairperson of the board on the consideration of any recommendation of the vice-chancellor. 

Amendment 9	This amendment updates S.30.  The Commonwealth Act, the Higher Education Support Act 2003, is implicit in this update and there is no actual change to this section.

Amendment 10	Amends S.33 to provide clarity on what funds can be paid to the university.  The Commonwealth Act, the Higher Education Support Act 2003, is implicit in this section.

Amendment 11	This amendment updates S.40 (2) ( r ) to take account of the Commonwealth Act, the Higher Education Support Act 2003 which is implicit in this section.

Amendment 12	Adds new definitions to the Act’s dictionary for the Commonwealth Act, student contribution amounts and tuition fee.

Amendment 13	Amends the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1995, Schedule 1, Part 1.2 to include an external member of the University of Canberra Council under S.11 (1) (d).