Australian Capital Territory

Civil Law (Wrongs) Professional Standards Council Appointment 2007 (No 2)

Disallowable instrument DI 2007 – 120

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

All States and Territories have enacted legislation enabling the establishment of a national Professional Standards Council made up of individual jurisdictional councils. The objects of the legislation are to constitute Professional Standards Councils, to enable the creation of schemes to limit the civil liability of professionals and others, to facilitate the improvement of occupational standards, and to protect consumers. 

Section 4.36 of Schedule 4 of the Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 provides for the establishment of the ACT Professional Standards Council (ACT Council).  The ACT Council consists of 11 people appointed by the Minister who have the experience, skills and qualifications the Minister considers appropriate to enable them to make a contribution to the work of the ACT Council.  

All States and Territories have agreed to appoint the same eleven members to their Professional Standards Councils (the Councils). The Councils will comprise one member nominated by each of the States and Territories and the Commonwealth, with the exception of NSW and Victoria, which will nominate two.

This instrument appoints seven members to the ACT Council. Three of the remaining four members have already been appointed to the ACT Council. The fourth and final member of the national Professional Standards Council will be appointed to the ACT Council in the near future. 

As required by the Legislation Act 2001, the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs has been consulted on the appointments. The Committee has advised that it has no comment on the appointment of these members.

The instrument appoints Ms Esther Alter, Mr Steven Cole, Mr Iain Summers, Mr Terry Evans, Mr Ronald Farrell, Ms Madeleine Ogilvie and Mr Warwick Wilkinson to the ACT Council.  The appointments end on 31 December 2008.